Falcon's Curse
by HamsterBall
Summary: The sequel to 'The Story Of Sierra'... Sierra finds herself in deep trouble.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer--** I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean, or anything associated with the film, including the character Captain Jack Sparrow (much as I would like to). They belong to Disney. However, any other characters are my own creations.

**A/N--** The sequel to my other fanfic, 'The Story of Sierra'... If you haven't read that one, I suggest you do so, pronto! But if you have, well... Enjoy!

A hooded figure stands on a large, rocky plateau which juts out from a mountainside, looking down on a town below. Between them and this poor but thriving community is a steep drop that is densely populated by trees, with a small dirt track heading up in a zigzag pattern towards them which, as they watch, a small family of monkeys crosses- heading out into the deeper jungle beyond the town. Few people have ever been into there, as it is meant to be haunted by terrible demons and so the superstitious locals avoid it. Because of this, the road is rarely used, and is slowly being claimed back by the forest from which it was once hacked out of.

Behind, a waterfall springs out of the rocky mountain face about forty feet up, cascading down into a crystal clear pool surrounded by rocks forming a rough circle. Ferns, giving off a heavy, earthy scent, spring from cracks in these. From here, a stream heads off into the rich exotic undergrowth, following the mountain path down until it reaches the small marsh which covers the short distance between where the jungle stops and where the town begins, from which the raucous croaking of bullfrogs has just started, filling the air with their sound. Above this the mountain shoots straight upwards, reaching what seems to be a colossal height, before it suddenly comes to an end- once the mountain, part of which the figure is standing on, was a destructive volcano, shooting flames and sparks day and night, but the fire from inside it has long been quenched and now only its shell and the rich, fertile soil it created are left behind. From this soil, the town of Nevis has sprung.

Lamps in the streets below are starting to be lit, as normal citizens shut down their trades in anticipation of the oncoming night, and the taverns roll in extra kegs of ale and rum in preparation for the roaring business they will do after sunset as homesick sailors drown their worries, captains seek crew, and the men of the town gather to swap yarns and gossip with others. On the quayside strings of lights hang from pole to pole, twinkling as they swing gently in the light breeze. Under these, crewmembers bustle around like an army of ants, the younger among them joyfully yelling taunts and conversation to others as they make their ships ready for the oncoming turn of the tide, with which they will sail to distant lands. This conversation floats up with the warm breeze, along with the normal day-to-day bustle and chatter from the rest of the town.

The ships themselves are all shapes and sizes, sailing under many different flags and nations. Each are suited to their way of life, with fatter, slower merchant ships being loaded with final cargoes as they take on the role of traders, while smaller, sleeker and faster ships like Sloops hide behind poor disguises, attempting to mask what they really are - pirate vessels.

On the horizon the mast of a large galleon can be seen, heading towards the port, most probably to pick up supplies as food is plentiful here, along with the spices and luxuries that the merchants do a healthy trade in. Seagulls wheel above in the salty air, screeching as they dive to catch fish, and around it the sea is turned to fire by the late setting sun, which in turn catches on the sails and riggings of every ship, until the entire harbour is ablaze.

This fire also laps gently onto the pure white sands, which stretch for miles in either direction, smooth and untouched. In the shallows, turtles can just be picked out as they bask in the remaining heat, soon to take back to the water to find food amid the abundance of life that grows on the corals beneath the surface. These reefs often contain the wrecks of unfortunate ships, whose clumsy owners took them too close and are now suffering the consequences, possibly beneath the waves. In this particular area there are many of these wrecks, provoking tales of immense wealth and riches for anybody brave enough to try and find one, and succeed. Many have tried to find their fortune but just as many have failed, for the sea does not give up its treasures lightly.

The figure on the ledge surveys this scene calmly, taking in all aspects of the town. Then, their eyes rest on one particular ship in the bay, unique to the rest due to its black hull and sails. It rides at anchor with every other ship, but the men bustling around the port seem to be giving it a wide berth- while the other ships have men running up and down gangplanks, carrying supplies and completing errands, the area around the black ship is seemingly completely deserted and calm.

Behind the hood of the cloak, the figure is seen to smile. Then they silently head down the overgrown path, heading towards the town.

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The activity inside one of the many taverns is almost unbearable. Men and women are everywhere, carrying drinks back and forth, talking to acquaintances or settling disagreements. Music coming from a fiddle and accordion in one corner only adds to the noise level.

A man staggers out of the entrance, too full of drink and thoughts of the ladies of the town to may much attention to whoever it is that he carelessly stumbles into. He simply bounces off them, continuing on a slightly different course to the one he started off on.

A pair of eyes, the colour of the sea, looks out from under the hood of the large cloak the figure is concealed under. They watch the man go until he rounds a corner and disappears into the night, and then they change the direction of their gaze upwards to the sign of the tavern, checking that this is indeed the correct place. Satisfied, the eyes lower, and disappear back under the hood.

The figure heads into the confusion and commotion inside, managing to blend into the background and remain inconspicuous despite their slightly sinister appearance in the long black cloak. Occasionally, a person staggers into their path but the figure merely sidesteps and then continues on their way, until they reach a quiet corner where they settle down, apparently to wait for something.

They do not have long to simply sit and watch the events around, it seems. The person sits up a little straighter, the opening of the hood trained towards the entrance.

A man has just come in, followed by another man- a grey-haired, portly figure follows close to his shoulder, looking around the tavern slightly uneasily. In contrast, the first man seems completely at ease in the surroundings.

His dark, clever eyes roam the scene in front of him, taking in every detail. Then, apparently satisfied with what he finds, he heads over to a spare table- walking in a very distinctive way, almost as though he is drunk already. Settling himself down, he waits for the other man with him to bring over the drinks- turning his head this way and that to watch parts of the activity around him that catch his particular attention. As he does so, the beads and discs of metal he has woven into his long hair glint in the light from the candles.

The hooded figure looks round, pausing as they spot a man at the far end of the tavern who is seemingly at ease, chatting to a few others. However, as soon as this man sees the hood turn in his direction, he nods and rises swiftly, making his farewells. Walking across the floor, he joins the mysterious person, glancing over towards the distinctive newcomer, now happily settled with a tankard of drink.

"He hasn't changed, has he?"

The person under the hood gives a short laugh and then replies in a voice that is not deep enough for it to be a man's.

"Alex…I doubt Jack sees any reason for it… He loves his way of life, and will see no reason for a change."

Sighing, they pull up another of the well-worn chairs and swing their feet up onto it, settling down as though they are going to be here for a while. The boots encasing their feet are brown and knee-length, making the legs and feet look small and slender- this is only accentuated by the comparison to Alex's legs nearby, which are strong and well-built.

The hood drops lower, and the person appears to go to sleep. However, their partner Alex stays upright and focused, his eyes trained on the man on the other side of the room as he watches every slight move that he makes.

Suddenly, a large group of sailors stagger into his view, completely obscuring it. Alex tries desperately to see around them but to no avail- he loses sight of Jack.

The sailors seem in no hurry to move on. The simply stand amidst the chaos, carrying out conversations with one another that frequently lead to load, uproarious laughter- often accompanied by a friendly punch to the man who delivered the humorous line. They are obviously enjoying being on land again, with all possible comforts after many months at sea.

Still Alex attempts to see past them, even starting to rise so that he can walk to the side slightly. However, he freezes when he hears an all too familiar voice behind him. It murmurs gently into his ear, bringing the scent of rum along with it.

"Now… I'm intrigued to know what you have been finding so fascinating about me… You've been staring for quite some time, and I thought that I'd perhaps be able to help you if you have any queries…?"

Alex opens his mouth to answer with something, but before he can do so, another voice from his right answers.

"I'm afraid that would be my doing, Jack Sparrow…"

The pirate turns to look at the hooded figure as though this was the first time he had noticed them. His mouth twists slightly to form an unsure look, as though he knows he recognises the voice but is simply having difficulty placing it to a face, or he is wishing it is not the person he thinks it is.

The person rises, turning to face him. Then, long and slender fingers reach up, pushing the hood back. Wild raven hair is shaken loose, and then the woman's gaze locks onto Jack's.

Jack looks pleased.

"Ah… Sierra."

He is stopped from continuing when the woman holds up a finger.

"Now, Sparrow, I'm sure you realise that you've forgotten something…"

Jack looks perplexed, and Sierra sighs, rolling her eyes.

"_Captain…"_

The male pirate looks apologetic, holding up his hands slightly.

"Ah, well… yes… apologies. It is a fairly new title for you though, so if you'll excuse me while I get used to it…"

Sierra laughs.

"I would have thought that you would have heard plenty about me over this past year, Jack… The taverns I'm sure you frequent must be rife with tales of me and my ship. Had you not heard about Nassau?"

Sparrow holds one figure to his chin, momentarily in deep thought.

"I heard some mention, yes… Without firing a single shot, wasn't it?..."

"Good. Then you're not as ignorant as I thought."

Jack looks offended, and then changes the subject.

"What has brought you here, anyway?"

Grimacing, Sierra returns to her seat.

"Get me drink, and I will tell you all about it."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Settled in one corner with a tankard of drink, Jack looks completely content. I wait for him to take a deep draught of whatever fiery liquid it is, simply watching his actions.

I soon notice that, despite the outwardly relaxed appearance, Jack is surreptitiously keeping an eye on everything going on around us- it is no wonder he had spotted us watching him, and decided to investigate.

Finally he seems satisfied enough with the amount he has drunk to set down his tankard and turn his brown eyes to face me.

"So, Sierra… What is this matter so pressing that you see fit to turn up in the middle of nowhere, to make a surprise visit to me… Couldn't it last for, say, another few days- a week, maybe? Why don't you just head off to your little boat, put your feet up, and when I'm done, I'll come and find you… Savvy? Unless… you couldn't wait that long to see the famous Captain Jack Sparrow?"

I grimace.

"Do not flatter yourself, Jack. Believe me, I have far more pressing matters to attend than a self-centered pirate who, I might add, is in serious need of a bath…"

Jack pauses to sniff the air around his body, and seems to consider the scent it for a few moments, before cracking a smile and replying,

"Not in the best of moods it seems, luv?"

I decide to head straight for the problem,

"Not when I'm without my ship, no…"

Jack looks disbelieving for a moment, then the size of his grin increases.

"You mean to tell me…?! You've _lost _her?! Well, this must be new record… I only let you have her- very graciously, I might add- a year ago, and now you've _lost _her? That's gratitude for you…"

"I haven't _lost _her, Jack… And you can't talk; I seem to remember you don't have a very good track of keeping hold of your ship yourself… Anyway, she was taken from me, forcefully." I see the pirate looking slightly lost, and continue. "I will explain."

"Please do, love… I'm entirely curious to find out what you've done now."

I shoot him a glance.

"As I have said, it wasn't me!"

Jack doesn't reply, instead sitting back passively and waits for me to continue.

"Well… It happened about three months ago, I think… I have lost track of the time, having traveled so far since then, trying to find you… Anyway, when does not matter, really.

"It was late into the night, with the crew and I sleeping, save for Alex," I motion over to where my companion is sitting with Gibbs, at another table close by "who was on watch. I think he blames himself for what happened, which is why he has remained with me all this time, while others have left to seek better fortune… However I personally hold no grudge against him: I believe it was unavoidable.

"Suddenly, there were men aboard my ship, who seemed to have appeared from nowhere. According to Alex, they moved as swiftly and silently as the wind… that was all he saw before he was knocked out. It was not long, I am assuming, before they had crept through the ship to my cabin, and I woke to find one of them standing by my bed, motionless. Needless to say, I was shocked… Shocked enough to sit there and stare. When I did move however, to pick up my cutlass, it was twisted from my hand so fast and with such ease that it was barely worthy to be called a scuffle.

"These men were huge… Far taller and with twice the muscles and pure brawn than any normal human has. And they had my ship completely covered from every angle- more power and in larger numbers than the crew I had- which, I suppose wasn't hard, seeing as I _was_ under crewed anyway."

"People just don't want to take the risk nowadays, Sierra…" Jack comments. I nod in agreement, and then continue.

"In the space of five minutes, nameless strangers had appeared, and completely overpowered me. I could not do anything, for fear of what these men could do, and so I had to simply sit by, and watch as they took over my precious _Falcon_.

"Silently, the entire crew were herded into one corner, and then sectioned off into the boats. Each were sent off to sea, with a few provisions to last a couple of days.

"The entire time, I was thinking of something… _anything_… that I could be doing to stop them. But there was nothing- they worked with such speed and precision that it was terrifying. Any wrong move and I am certain that we would have been killed- and surely a human life is better than that of a ship, in the end?"

Jack looks uncomfortable for a moment, but soon masks this expression, pushing it away with a grin.

"So you mean to tell me that you were caught unawares on your own ship, and didn't put up any sort of a fight to stop her being taken away from you? Does she hold any value in your life?

"Jack! You know what that ship means to me… And why else would I be here, unless for help?"

"Why else, indeed…" Jack winks roguishly.

I look down so as not to meet his eyes, and try hard not to blush. Out of the corner of my eyes, I see his smile widen even further.

"So… Continue with your tale… I'm intrigued to find out what happened next…"

"There is not much more to tell. From our boats, we watched as the _Falcon_ disappearing over the horizon. The crew was in complete shock, me included. To have our ship taken from right under our noses like that…

"Thankfully, however, we were not that far from land, and civilization. We managed to reach it within the first few days, before we ran too low on supplies. The locals were kind on us, offering everyone food and lodgings, but even so, quite a lot of the crew was not content- I think they partly blamed me, and partly blamed Alex for what had happened. Before long, they came to the decision that they would leave us and strike out on their own, in search of better fortune, and soon they did just that. I have not seen one of them since, but the Caribbean is a big place and the ocean even bigger… I just hope they are well.

"We did not stay for long in the village where we had landed, after that. I was restless, certain that there was a way to recover my ship, and Alex was in agreement with me. We came to the conclusion that we needed to find you, and see if you had any information on the matter.

"Sadly, quite a lot of the remaining crew did not share the same view as us. The loss of the ship had knocked them badly, I think, and they could not bear to go on a wild-goose chase on the vague hope that we might find her. Most stayed at the village, and the few who did follow us, we have left in various taverns and inns across the Caribbean. So now, it is just me and Alex left."

"That's an interesting tale you've got there, Sierra…Very interesting indeed… sadly, before I offer any information on the matter, I'm going to have to know how I'm to be repaid…" Jack looks cheekily at me.

His expression changes rapidly, however, when I jump to my feet and produce a cocked pistol and aim it at his forehead. There is a sudden hush in the tavern as people stop whatever they are doing to stare.

"Ah…"

"Don't play games with me, Jack. I'm not in the mood, and haven't been for the past three months, ever since I lost my ship. So… do you know where my ship is, or don't you?"

Jack looks up at me hopefully.

"Big dark brutes, these men? Strong, silent types?"

"Yes…" I fail to see where Jack is heading with this.

"You're in luck, Sierra. I happen to know the very person who knows where your ship is. Follow me, and all will become clear."

He jumps to his feet, the now-empty tankard discarded on the table, and heads towards the exit, poking Gibbs as he walks past. The older pirate stands and follows his captain.

Un-cocking my pistol and hiding it away, I motion to Alex, who also stands and then joins our strange little group.

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**ChocolatPirate**- Hello again! Hehe... And no worries- hope you had a good holiday/vacation/whatever! And thanks... I do try and get the despcriptions as good as possible, so you can really picture the settings- they're often important!

**RumQueen**- And hello again to you to :)! I hope this chapter answered your question! Haha!

**Lady Patriot**- I don't think I've seen you before... Or have I?! My memory is so amazingly roobish... If you have commented before, I apologise! And thanks very much, as I said to ChocolatPirate I do try to get the descriptions as good as possible- I enjoy writing them! I actually stole an old piece of english work that I did a few years ago for the opening description, and just adapted it slightly... I'd had it in my mind to use it for ages!


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Being back on the _Black Pearl _is strange- it is almost as though I never left, the past twelve months melting away. Leaning on the railing, I sigh contentedly as I look out across the ocean.

This peace does not last for long, however. Suddenly, my view is obscured as someone clamps their hands over my eyes. Biting my lip to try and stop myself smiling, I put on a surprised voice.

"Hmmm…. Now I wonder, who could this be?"

Laughing, Alex uncovers my eyes, and I turn round to face him. His face, always seeming so pleasant and open, is split in half by a wide grin, and bright blue eyes twinkle with mischief.

"Honestly, Sierra…I came over here making as much noise as a herd of elephants, and you didn't even notice until I was right on top of you! Old age is obviously showing…" Alex has to think fast as I strike out to cuff him over the head, and only just manages to duck in time.

Laughing, he stands back up straight.

"Just proving my point- your reactions are pretty slow as well. I think it's time to retire from being a pirate captain before you become completely redundant."

Grinning, I turn back round to face the sea, but as I think about what he has just said, my smile falls slightly.

Alex turns to look into my face.

"What's wrong, Sierra?"

I sigh.

"I'm not a pirate captain, though, am I? For what good is a pirate without a ship?"

My trusted friend shakes his head, blonde hair coming loose and flopping over his eyes.

"It won't be like that for long, trust me… You've got Jack on the case now, anyway."

"Hmmm…" I turn my head to search out the distinctive pirate, and find him standing up near the helm as he fixes his telescope on the horizon.

As always, Alex picks up on my uncertainty.

"What? Not good enough for you?"

"It's not that, it's just I wish that he would tell me where we were going, and for what purpose. He hasn't spoken to me in days…"

"And you've been keeping count, no doubt, of the days, the hours, even the minutes since he last spoke to you, or simply looked in your direction."

I shoot Alex a warning glance, but he just looks back with eyes feigning innocence. Glaring harder, however, I see the blue pools begin to waver, and flickers of other emotions appear and disappear- mischief, guilt, and something else which I cannot discern.

I look away, laughing.

"You're always the same, Alex…"

Glancing back at him, I see him smile once again as he leans on the rails with me.

"No… It's just you know me too well, Sierra."

As we both look out over the sea, a calmness descends where neither of us feels the need to say anything. This last for several minutes as we survey the scene in front of us, watching as the sun starts to dip below the horizon and causes the sea to turn to liquid fire.

Then, Alex shifts position and looks up towards the helm, where I know Jack will be standing.

"Well, it's time to try out my amazing detective powers, and discover where this rum-pot pirate is taking us…"

"Alex!" I reprimand, but he has already walked off, and is now pretending not to hear his name. I watch as he makes his way over to Jack, leaning casually beside him as if to engage in light conversation.

I know Sparrow is no idiot, though. Even from where I am standing, I know that he knows exactly what Alex is up to, and I do not think he will give up the answer easily.

Laughing to myself, I wonder what on earth Alex could be saying to try and wheedle the truth put of Jack. Occasionally though, I see his dark eyes flick in my direction, and can only assume that my name is cropping up in their conversation.

Finally though, Alex steps away and heads backs towards me, and I see that Sparrow is also on the move, towards his cabin.

Immediately from Alex's expression, I can tell that he was not successful.

"I could have told you the outcome of that without you ever having to go over there, Alex…" I remark as he returns to his place next to me, giving him a playful nudge.

He does not come back with any type of retort, but only looks at me with a slightly odd expression on his face.

"Jack wants to see you in his cabin, Sierra. Go now, I think it's important."

He says no more, and so I, puzzled, walk off in the direction of the Captain's cabin, leaving my friend standing and staring fixedly on the horizon.

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Jack looks up from whatever chart he is studying as I enter, and a slightly crooked grin forms on his face. Then, he looks back down towards the chart and continues whatever he was doing.

I take this moment to study the pirate, finding that truly he has not changed- the face is still exactly the same with the same colour skin from years under the sun, the eyes are still their deep chocolate brown, his small moustache still forms two beaded plaits that hang under his chin, and his hair is still as unkempt as it ever was. However, looking hard I fancy that there may be a few more trinkets woven in, as memoirs of places he has visited since we parted previously…

Sparrow starts to speak, interrupting my thoughts.

"Sending your dogsbodies to do your dirty work, are we now, Sierra?" He reaches across the table to tap his compass, which had been fixed on a steady course when I entered the room, but has now started to spin around wildly. However, it soon settles back on its original course, and Jack returns to the map.

"I didn't send him to do anything, Jack. I can't help if he decided of his own accord to find out where we're going… I am sure that the rest of the crew are as curious as me, seeing as you don't seem to have told anyone anything."

Jack smiles knowingly.

"All in good time, luv…"

He stands, giving one final look towards his compass before snapping it shut and stowing it away. Then, he walks over towards me.

"Well, this attitude of using people below you certainly is new, isn't it…You consider them only there for your jobs, ay? That's the fast way to lose yourself a crew, and a ship… Although…" Jack pauses, leaning in so close his breath, rum-scented, tickles my face, "I suppose you don't need to worry about that part, do you now?" He smiles wickedly, and I stare at his face in total anger, raising my hand to slap his stupid face and wipe the grin off it.

Sparrow catches hold of my hand, predicting what I am going to do and so preventing it from moving any further.

"But I wonder…" He narrows his eyes slightly. "What else has changed. Is this the same Sierra that I knew half a year ago, with the same thoughts, same feelings?" He brings his face close to mine, looking down at my lips, smiling just enough to expose a flash of gold.

"Or not?..."

Before I know what is happening, he has pressed his lips against mine. At first I stiffen from complete shock, but the warmth and softness of his mouth coupled with the alluring taste of rum soon causes me to soften against him, fully appreciating the sense of another person's body so close to mine.

It does not last for long, however- soon Jack is pulling away from me. I open my eyes, a thousand thoughts and feelings flitting across my mind, all confused and entangled with one another. Opening my mouth, I think that I should really say something, but the words just don't seem to come.

Jack grins.

"Interesting…"

Saying nothing more, he turns on his heel and heads towards the door of his cabin. Opening it, he heads out onto the open top deck.

Unease creeps into my mind, which is quickly followed by annoyance.

_How dare he leave me standing here like some idiot?_ I think to myself.

"Jack!" I shout after him, as I start to walk over to the door I just saw him exit by.

However, something seems wrong. The deck wobbles beneath my feet, tilting this way and that and making me feel unsteady, and in addition to that the walls of the cabin also start to move, turning around me like a child's spinning top.

As I attempt to walk further, I decide that in fact, it is not the ship that it at fault, but me. My head starts to feel light-headed and dizzy and my eyes cannot focus on any object, instead making the room blurry and thus hard to walk through without colliding with things. My limbs feel leaden as I drag my feet across the floor, whilst my arms hang limply by my sides, as they are too heavy to move.

As an abrupt splitting pain erupts behind my eyes I sink to the floor, leaning against some sort of furniture for support. My head lolls to the side, resting against the object- suddenly I do not seem to have enough energy to even keep it upright.

As my eyelids close, I struggle to retain consciousness, calling out in a weak and strangely high pitched voice for the pirate who, not half a minute previously, had walked out onto the deck.

"Jack…" My voice cracks and I cough, my entire body shaking.

Hope wells within me as I hear footsteps somewhere nearby. They pause, having perhaps picked up the small sound that I was making, and then I hear a voice.

"Sierra!"

The footsteps speed up, getting louder as the head in my direction. Strong arms encircle me and I feel myself being lifted off the floor, my arms still hanging uselessly and my head seeming to have a mind of its own.

"Oh God… Jack!"

Somewhere in my confused mind, I work out that this man isn't Sparrow, but someone else equally familiar. I manage to open my eyes slightly, and even from the blurred image I make out, the features of Alex are unmistakable.

Alex carries me out onto the deck, where I quickly close my eyes again as the change in light intensity sends shooting pains into my skull, only adding to the headache. Moaning slightly, I make what seems like a huge effort to turn my head away and bury it into the darkness of Alex's chest.

I hear my friend's voice once again, calling for Jack, and also in the background can pick out the faint mutterings of the crew as they turn to observe the scene.

Then, another voice sounds out, distinctive because of the slight slur to the words.

"How did this happen?"

Alex replies to Jack's short question in a voice laden with concern.

"I don't know, Jack… she was just lying like this on the floor of your cabin. She's burning up… Feel her forehead."

A cool hand is laid across my brow.

"Hmmm…" Sparrow's voice sounds calm as he assesses the situation. "Best put her somewhere quiet, I think, mate… My cabin would be the best place for now. Make sure she's comfortable… She's in for a rough time."

As one final effort, I turn my face towards Jack's voice and manage to add one final threat- however, my voice is more feeble than I would have liked.

"If you've drugged me again, Sparrow, I swear I will not rest until I have your disgusting dread-locked head as part of my figurehead…"

I can imagine the smile that I am certain that will be forming across the pirate's face, and am sure I even hear a quiet laugh from him. However, as Alex carries me away, the final thing I hear is Jack muttering to Gibbs:

"Push whatever speed you can from the sails, Mr Gibbs… Our destination has just become a much more pressing matter."

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.**Lady Patriot-** Ahh riteys... That would make sense. Well, hope you also enjoyed this chapter!

**RumQueen-** I know, it's terrible, isn't it... But don't worry, she'll get it back in due course... Once she's well enough to Captain it, of course! ;) And as for Jack's ego... I think the name 'Jack Sparrow' is synonymous with 'massive ego'. Haha

**ChocolatPirate-** Romance? -Tries to look innocent, but fails miserably- You'll just have to wait are see... Are you the type who likes a good cry as well? 


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N-** Sorry for the slightly longer than usual wait- I've been on holiday in Dartmoor for the last week! I'm back now though (I guess you might have noticed that!) with a nice new and shiny chapter!! Enjoy!

**Chapter 4**

Much to my frustration and annoyance, Alex is determined that I stay in bed, however much I try to rise. He fusses around me much like a mother, and, although I know he is only trying to help, often it seems as though he is being more of a hindrance.

Even more annoying is the fact that, deep inside, I know that he is right- I cannot get out of bed. Whatever ailment has gripped me leaves me feeling sick and dizzy whenever I do so much as sit up, and I regularly have moments where my sight deserts me, leaving me scared and disorientated. I have become a shell of my former self, losing weight faster than I try to keep it on due to the way I can hardly keep my food down. When Alex hands me a mirror one time, I am shocked at what I see- my hair hangs limp and lacklustre when I used to have glossy curls, and my eyes are dull- the swirling colours of blue and green looking dark and stormy, instead of their usual aquamarine. I cannot argue with the facts, which only serves to make me grumpy and restless. Part of me admires the way Alex is still so determined to keep me company while I am in this state

What worries me more however, is not matters of the body. With the long time I have to rest, I fret about my ship, where Jack is taking us, and Jack himself. The pirate captain has been suspiciously absent over the past few days since I fell ill, despite the fact that I have actually stolen his bed and most of his quarters. Often I hear noises in the cabin next door where he has his table and his sea charts, but there has been only one occasion whilst I was awake when he actually paid me a visit, and even that was only a short one. It is as though he is scared of catching whatever I may have… And yet this does not seem like it would be a trait of Jack's.

According to Alex, who occasionally leaves my side to carry out various errands such as fetching me food or drink, Jack is trying to get the best out of the _Pearl_ and her crew so that we reach our destination as fast as possible. I see no reason why my illness would suddenly cause this haste, but obviously Jack has other thoughts as he pushes the ship to her limits. Alex stays quiet, but I think that he also knows the reason for such a speed. A few times, I catch him staring at me when he thinks I am asleep with a worried look in his eyes, and I know that he is deeply concerned. This does nothing to ease my frustration- if only I could get on my feet again, then I am certain I would feel a lot more power to find out what is really going on.

I spend more and more of my time sleeping- partly because it seems to be the only way to pass the time, and partly because I am feeling increasingly exhausted. It is strange, but the more sleep I get, the more tired I feel.

When I slip into these restless slumbers, often I have strange, and occasionally disturbing, dreams. Several involve the pirate Serpiente, who, although he has been dead for over a year, still continues to haunt me. Even the sight of his face on the edge of my subconscious has the power to disrupt my sleep, and I wake up gasping for breath and looking wildly around the cabin. I feel stupid when I think that all I am afraid of is a memory, but even so his pale face is vivid enough to deeply unsettle me.

One late afternoon I have one of these episodes, and, predictably, wake up still seeing his face in front of me. Alex is beside my bed in an instant.

"Sierra? What's the matter?"

My thoughts adjust, and I fully wake up to where I am- in Jack's cabin, safe and sound. Sighing, I lie back down again.

"Nothing… Just another bad dream."

Alex moves around the end of the bed, swapping sides so that he can look at my face once again. Reaches out, he places a hand on my forehead.

"You still have a fever… It's probably what's bringing on these nightmares."

Shaking my head, I reply,

"No, Alex… These dreams have been occurring since the Isla Del Espejos incident, and I don't think they're going away anytime soon."

My friend smiles at me, but still does not manage to mask his concern.

"Well, try and get back to sleep if you can… I'll be here to make sure you are alright. You need your rest, Sierra- you look terrible."

"Thanks." I mutter, before closing my eyes and trying to drift back off to sleep. I hear Alex move off to one corner of the room, sitting down on a chair to watch over me.

More comfortable now, and with the details of the dream already starting to fade, I soon drift off into a dreamless sleep, which seems to stretch into eternity.

88888

Slowly surfacing into consciousness, I open my eyes to find the day's sunlight has disappeared and is instead replaced with inky darkness.

Finally, I feel rested- that sleep must have done me some good, as the weakness and odd eye behaviour seems to have disappeared. Looking around the cabin, I see that Alex is nowhere to be seen, which is slightly strange, but I reason it away with the fact he has probably gone for some fresh air.

I feel so rejuvenated that I decide that I might as well go and join him on deck, where I assume he is. Gingerly, I step out of bed onto the rough wooden deck, and when I am satisfied that my legs with truly support me, I slip quietly out of the door and into Jack's main cabin.

The pirate is not around either- probably having accompanied Alex. I feel slightly relieved about this, as I did not really want to face Jack by himself at this moment in time, having so recently recovered from whatever illness I had.

My bare feet make no sound as I tread softly across the floor of the deserted cabin. The moon that is just visible out of one of the windows throws silvery shadows onto the floor, helping me to pick my way through the various pieces of furniture and other odd trinkets that Jack has picked up on his travels, until I make it to the door. Swinging it open, I walk out onto the still, dark deck.

The night is calm- despite the way that the few strands of cloud that I can see are scudding along at an impressive rate, I feel no wind on my face. Walking over to the rail, I look down at the sea to find that this too is calm, with only a few rippling waves disturbing its surface. Even the _Pearl_ seems to have ceased movement, resting still in the black ocean.

Looking around, I see no sign of either Jack or Alex, who I would have thought would come running over to assist me as soon as they saw me out on deck.

_Well, Alex at least…_ I think to myself._ Jack, I'm not so sure._

However, it is apparent that this will not happen- I am alone on the deck, without even a crewmember on their night-watch to keep me company. Some instinct in the back of my mind twitches into consciousness, pointing out how this is slightly odd, but I pay no attention to it while I try and think where Alex and Jack may have got to.

Coming to a decision, I start to walk in the direction of the galley, in the vague hope that they have decided to prepare a late night meal- Alex's eating times have be irregular at the best of times since he started to car for me.

A voice whispers behind me, breaking the silence of the night and making me whip around to see who is speaking.

"_Sierra…"_

The sound is carried on the wind with an echo of the ocean, seeming to make the voice split into many different ones, all of different tones and pitches. However, the origin still remains a mystery to me.

The whispering continues, rising and falling in volume like waves. It sounds as though it is all around me, to such an extent that I wonder if I am going mad and it is all simply in my head. Placing my hands over my ears, I try to block out the noise- surprisingly, this seems to work and so I am reassured slightly that it is not just me hearing voices, but actually someone real nearby who is whispering my name.

When I take my hands away, the sound seems to have died away slightly, and instead of being all around me now has more of a direction it originates from. Puzzled, I start to follow the voices.

They lead me straight to the side of the ship, where I look out over the sea- perhaps there is a boat in the water?

However, I see nothing, save for the vast darkness of the sea at night. Confused, I look down at the waves below me, and for a while any thoughts of voices are forgotten as I am distracted by the behaviour of the ocean's surface.

A few moments ago, it was as smooth as glass, but now it seems to have a mind of its own. As the waves crisscross erratically over one another with some larger than their neighbours and others rising up only to disappear once again a few metres on, it looks as though the sea has come alive. I have never seen anything like it before.

Leaning as far over the side as I can, I peer down into the water, narrowing my eyes as I try and fully comprehend what is going on. This does no good, however, as the more I stare into the water, the more energised the waves become, springing up higher and higher until I start to feel the spray on my face.

Then I focus on one of the waves in particular as it rises, coming closer to my face than any of the others yet. What I see causes me to shoot back several steps, completely startled.

A pair of eyes stares back from the water, locked onto my own. They hover at the same height as my own for a split second, before dropping back down into the rest of the sea below. I immediately hurry back to the side of the ship, to see if I can make out whatever creature they belonged to.

At first I only see what I could before- the waves swirling around the ship. However, suddenly I make out a more definite shape in the waves which is not simply a swell- a head appears for a moment above the surface, before disappearing once more.

Another wave shoots up next to me, and this time I see the figure immediately- a vague human shape can just be made out in the main body of the water, but it is the eyes which are the most obvious- once again, they pierce mine as their owner stares at my face.

I see the being gracefully slip under the surface of the sea after having dropped back down with the wave, and, managing to track the movement of its silvery body I notice another one joining it. Soon I notice that there is not simply one or two of them, but a huge group, possibly nearing a hundred, with each taking it in turn to rise up with a wave to stare it at me.

The eyes they use to gaze at me so intently can only be described in one way- wild. Their swirling depth keeps me constantly guessing as to what colour they actually are, as sometimes they appear a brilliant blue but others a murky green, as well as every possible colour in between. These colours twist and mix around each other and make the eyes look very much like the sea in which these creatures live. The rest of their body seems to be similarly coloured, the skin carrying a tint of ghostly pale blue.

I find the shape of their body hard to define, as although they look to be vaguely human they seem to have no permanent shape, instead shifting and flowing like water. It is in no doubt however that they are perfectly streamlined, designed like a seal's to help them slip effortlessly through the water. At one point I also think I see a flash of a hand, webbed between the fingers- another adaptation for the world in which they live.

As each rises up to be closer to me, I see their mouths forming my name- a seemingly silent call, and yet I can hear each individual whisper.

One in particular seems to take more interest than the rest. I guess from the large eyes and more delicate features that this individual is female, but whether this is true I do not know, and have no real way of finding out. While others only rise once, she appears many times- distinctive due to her different colouring of a more silver hint than blue, her eyes pierce into my very soul each time she looks at me. I vaguely notice that each time she appears she is coming closer and closer to me on the deck of the Pearl, until I feel the spray from the wave carrying her on my face. Soon, there are not much more than two arms' lengths between us, and she seemingly picks up on this, stretching out a silvery arm towards me.

On an impulse, I respond by reaching out towards her.

The voices return in earnest now, reaching a level that is almost unbearable for my ears. They seem to be urging me on, and willing me to make contact with one of their kind.

The sea spirit is just out of my reach, however much I try and stretch my arm out. Gripping hold of the railing with my free hand, I attempt to push myself just that little bit further… Never has such a small distance felt so large.

As I stretch that final distance, I realise I have made a fatal error- leaning out so far has changed my balance, pushing me over the side. Fear enters my body and I desperately try to scrabble back and regain some stability, but it is too late- I begin to pitch forwards, down to the waiting sea below. My mouth opens as I slip, preparing for a scream.

In these final few seconds, I see the face of the spirit in the wave change. Instead of the benign smile, it twists to form something less pleasant, and I see a gleam of triumph in those ocean-coloured eyes.

However, just as I believe I am lost, I suddenly jolt to a stop as I feel something clamp around my ankles. The air is knocked from my lungs and I am held, suspended in mid-air.

I use all the strength I can muster to look up, and manage to spot a flash of pale hair. Hope springs back into my heart as I realise Alex has come to my rescue.

The sea spirit's face contorts once again as she notices what has happened, and she snarls, hissing like a feral cat. The voices of the others rise to a keening howl, much like a strong wind, as they plead with me to join them. Part of me tries to respond, pulling me ever closer to the surface of the heaving sea, but a voice inside my head keeps me sane and helps to fight this impulse.

I hear a strained grunt from Alex as he attempts to pull me back onboard, and with a sickening feeling I realise he is at the limit of his strength. However, he perseveres and finally I begin to inch up back onto the ship, my balance returning to a place where I can push myself over the final bit of the railing.

Once safe on deck, all my new-found strength leaves me and I collapse back against Alex, who holds me close, supporting me.

Looking out over the sea, I see that surface is returning to normal as the waves subside, taking the beings that had attempted to lure me into their world with them. Their voices also die away, and soon all I can hear is the cry of a lone seagull as it wheels high above us.

For a few moments, there is silence. Then Alex decides to speak up.

"Come on, Sierra… You shouldn't be out here; it's just not safe when you're obviously not well. Let's get you back to your cabin, and you can explain on the way why the hell you decided it would be a good idea to try and jump over the side…"

I resist as Alex tries to push me gently in the direction of Jack's cabin.

"What do you mean, jump over the side?"

"Well, why were you leaning so far out in the first place? I would have thought by now you would have learnt the dangers of hanging over the side like that. Did you see something interesting in the water, perhaps? I admit the waves were looking particularly spectacular tonight, but that's not reason to act so stupidly." He smiles slightly after this last sentence as if to show that he is not really angry but merely relieved. I hardly notice this however, as I turn to face him, completely incredulous.

"Did you not see those creatures?!"

In response, Alex looks worried.

"There was nothing there, Sierra… Just the sea. Don't worry me even more than you have already tonight- I thought I'd lost you. Please, stop playing games- I saw as you leant too far out and fell over."

Tears of disbelief and frustration spring into my eyes, which only serve to annoy me even more.

"Alex, there were a load of bloody sea creatures trying to drag me into the water! How could I play games over that?!"

However much I insist, I still cannot get Alex to believe me. Instead, he seems to put what I saw down to delusions caused by my illness, making him even more determined that I should return to rest. Despite the screaming and protesting that I give him, he still manages to propel me through Jack's main cabin, and into bed.

I repeat what I saw to him over and over again, giving as much detail as possible, but each time I reach the end of my account Alex just shakes his head in disbelief, looking more and more worried. Finally, he simply stands and leaves the room as though he cannot take any more, leaving me shouting after him, but to no avail.

This completely flat dismissal of what I thought I had seen and experienced makes me even start to doubt myself. Perhaps Alex is right, and what I saw was only mirages caused by a high temperature and general illness- this certainly seems to be supported by the way that I am starting to feel as ill as I did before as my shaky legs and thumping headache return. However, I am sure that even my fairly imaginative mind could not come up with something quite as vivid as tonight's events.

After a long period of silence I hear two sets of footsteps approaching, which seem to enter Jack's cabin and then stop. Then I hear two male voices in conversation, unmistakeably Jack and Alex.

Alex's voice is low and urgent as he presumably describes the recent developments to the pirate captain, while Jack, on the other hand, sounds calm when he occasionally speaks up. This seems to serve only to annoy Alex, for soon his voice rises in volume and takes on and angrier tone. However, I still cannot hear what is being said, however much I strain my ears.

This continues for about ten minutes, until I can bear it not longer. I rise into a sitting position, and swing my legs off the bed.

As I stand, I have to swing my arms out rapidly to try and stop myself from simply falling over again, and I am forced to lean against the wall for support and the deck bucks and twists underneath my feet as though we are caught in a huge tempest. I wait for it to subside, but this seems as though it is unlikely to happen and so I decide that it will be best to just inch forwards towards the door.

I do not know how long it takes me, but finally I grasp hold of the doorframe, completely exhausted from the effort of crossing the room. Pushing the door open, which Alex must have slammed shut as he left, I am confronted with my friend and Jack looking as though they are at each other's throats- the tension is almost unbearable.

However, they both pause, mid-argument, to turn and stare at me as I lean weakly against the doorframe. Alex's mouth hangs open slightly as it takes in my appearance- I can only imagine I look as terrible as I feel- while Jack just looks slightly alarmed.

Looking from one to the other, I manage to come up with a sentence that sounds satisfyingly threatening.

"One of you better be about to explain what on earth is going on, or I swear I _will_ actually jump over the side of the ship- and I'll make sure there's no brave hero around to save me this time."

88888

**ChocolatPirate-** Oh dear, I said too much... Hehe, I'm gonna keep you guessing! Although, read second part of comment to Uschi, might say a bit more... might not! lol! And I'm glad you liked that line... Although I can't see how Sierra could ever consider Jack to be disgusting... I'm sure you'll agree! ;)

**RumQueen-** Yes, yes he did! And, erm, read above comment to CP (Hmm... quite a lot of x-referencing going on here...)! Lol... I'm sure YOU'LL agree too! And I'm updating as fast as I can, I promise... School is madness at the moment, revising for exams etc... Though I've got my Easter hols now, so mucho writing can take place methinks!!

**Captain Uschi-** Hakuna Matata! Glad you're here now, and enjoying it! I hope this one lives up to your expectations (as it seems to be doing so far!), and isn't one of those sequels which isn't even worth the paper it's written on! I'm personally really excited about the ending... I know what's going to happen, but haven't written it yet, and I hope it's going to be as good as i imagine it to be!


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The heavy pause is almost unbearable as I wait, slumped against the doorframe.

I see Alex glance uneasily at Jack, as though wondering what the pirate is going to do. Jack notices this, and looks towards the other man as though determined to unnerve him into telling me.

However, instead of locking gaze with Alex, I see Jacks eye's slide past to look out the windows at the back of the cabin. His expression changes, and a grin which flashes gold appears on his clever face before he spins around and heads out of his cabin without another word, completely startling both Alex and I.

For a moment Alex remains completely motionless, but quickly I see a change on his face as an emotion appears which previously has never been seen- anger.

"JACK!" Alex yells after the recently departed pirate, far louder and more forceful than I have ever heard before. He strides towards the door, seemingly having completely forgotten about me for the moment.

I, however, am not about to be left again. Letting go of my support, I attempt to follow both Jack and Alex up onto the deck in an effort to get the truth out either one or the other of them.

Unfortunately I am under false pretences as to how strong I actually am. Taking a step across the floor, my legs buckle underneath me and, however much I try and grab hold of something to support myself, I still end up sliding to the floor.

With my head spinning, I yell out in frustration. The sound bounces off the walls around me, only serving to antagonise my suddenly pounding ears even more.

Apparently, Alex had not gone as far as I thought- presumably drawn by my shouts, he appears back at the door to find me slumped on the floor. Cursing softly, he disappears back in the direction he came instead of coming to pick me up as I would expect.

This odd behaviour from my friend and the embarrassment of being unable to do anything to help myself get up simply provokes me further, and I start screaming insults towards the door in the hope that Alex may hear and come back, even if it is only to tell me to be quiet. Sadly, this has no effect apart from to irritate my own head.

Soon, I give up and simply slump against the nearby wall, wondering how long am going to be left here like this for. Listening hard, and attempting to ignore the ringing I can hear, I try to listen in on the activity around me.

It sounds as though the crew is working flat out, with constant hustle and bustle as they scurry to and fro completing whatever task they have been set, their many feet pounding on the wooden decking- the sound reverberating through the rest of the ship. A grinding of metal on wood starts up as it appears the anchor is dropped, until it stops as suddenly as it began having found a purchase on the ocean bed.

Then, above all of this extra noise I hear what I was hoping to hear- a pair of feet returning in my direction. This most recent 'funny turn' of mine does not seem to have affected my voice, and so I resume the shouting I had previously abandoned.

Slightly to my surprise, it is not Alex who enters, but Jack. He takes in the scene of me sitting on the floor impassively, although I fancy I see a flicker of concern cross his face. Then, in a way I could only expect Jack to, he grins wide enough for me to be able to see his infamous gold-capped teeth.

"Fancied having a quick rest, did we Sierra? I must admit, I wouldn't think the floor would be the best place to do that- not only is it uncomfortable but it also inconveniences everyone else. Why not pick another spot?" He waves his hands loosely at the various pieces of furniture in his cabin.

I grit my teeth.

"Jack, you know very well that I can't get up. So I suggest you stop teasing me, and help me instead."

Jack's eyes open wide as he feigns innocence, leaning back slightly on one foot and opening his hands wide.

"No need to jump down my throat, luv… Helping you was, in fact, exactly what I had in mind. We've arrived at our destination, and so I'll be needing you to come with me… Savvy?"

He extends a calloused hand towards me, which, with some reluctance, I take hold of. Slowly, he hauls me to my feet, but then has to think fast and grab my waist as I fail to support myself. Putting my arm around his neck, he walks me out of the door and onto the deck.

The beating sun hurts my eyes, and I have to screw them tight shut to try and limit the pain that shoots into my mind. However, while my eyes are shut I hear whispers around me- the voices of many men- and, curious, I squint through one eye to try and find out what all the fuss is about.

I am startled when I see what seems to be the entire crew staring straight at me, many with shocked looks on their faces. They murmur to those standing near them, while never taking their gaze away. Puzzled, I look down to try and see if there is any reason for their stares and am shocked myself at what I see- for my clothes hang limp and shapeless from my frame, which once would have filled these garments perfectly but now only looks as though it is a child's in their parents clothes as they play a game of dress-up. I can only imagine what my facial appearance must be, and, ashamed, I keep my head lowered, turning slightly to bury it in Jack's coat.

I hear the pirate speaking quietly to me.

"Now, Sierra, not much longer. I always would have thought you would like to be the centre of attention… it appears I was mistaken."

I start to utter curses, which, although muffled by the thick brown material, are still very distinguishable.

Jack pretends to be deaf, ignoring my oaths and instead getting propelling me wherever he needs me to go. I allow myself to be steered, until we stop and I have to look up to see what is going on, finding Alex standing by one of the jollyboats, watching as it is lowered into the water by several of the crew. He does not turn around to look at me, but I know that he knows I am here- I start to see the back of his neck colouring as I stare at it. Perhaps he is feeling guilty for simply leaving me earlier, for no apparent reason…

_And well he should…_I think to myself.

Jack leads me the final few steps until we reach the side of the _Pearl_, where I grasp hold of the railing for support and look out across the bay we are anchored in.

The land which I can see looks completely deserted, and impossible to inhabit. A huge rocky slope rises in front of us, climbing high enough to almost blot out the sun, which is covered in a thick tangle of vegetation. However, instead of being a lush green, the only colour I can see is an ash grey, the leaves and creepers appearing as though they have been stripped of their colour, providing a very strange view. There is no evidence of any shoreline or beach where it might have been possible for us to land, but it simply seems as though the island is part of the seabed quite by chance, has risen higher than the water level and so now juts out like it does.

What strikes me most, however, is the silence. On a normal island which was this densely covered in plant life, however strange-looking, it would be expected that there would be an abundance of animal life thriving from it as well, providing the variety of sounds which are heard. However, I can hear nothing except for the occasional rustle as the light wind ripples though the trees, creating a very eerie atmosphere. I have never seen a place this quiet before in my life, and I am not sure I enjoy the absence of the creatures I would usually expect to see or hear.

Then, as I look higher into the sky, I see what must be the reason for this complete lack of anything truly living- a plume of smoke, so dark a grey that it is almost black, curls lazily up from somewhere near the top of the mountain, suggesting that perhaps this island is not so dormant as it appears.

Jack nudges me gently, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"Sierra… We need to go, luv."

He motions over the side of the _Pearl_, and I realise with a slightly sick feeling that I am going to have to climb down the very unsafe looking rope ladder that is being unfurled.

Jack sees my unease.

"Although, if you don't think you're up to it I suppose I will just have to go by me onesies… Shame." He shakes his head and swings himself over the side, proceeding to climb down into the boat waiting below.

Glowering his hat which is just disappearing from view, I know I have no choice but to join him now.

Moving even closer to the side, I peer over to see Jack standing confidently in the vessel below, grinning up at me.

"Decided to join me, then? Well, hurry up… We don't have all day."

I have no other choice but to swing my legs slowly over the side of the _Pearl_, trying to appear much steadier than I actually feel as my legs feel as though they are in danger of giving way yet again. Gripping on even harder, I begin to make what feels like the longest descent in history.

As I climb down it seems to me that the wind picks up, whipping the waves up into choppy peaks. The _Pearl_ begins to rock in the water, and I have to cling on desperately as it feels as though I am flung about like a rag doll. Squeezing my eyes tightly shut, I attempt to ward of the feeling of sickness that is threatening to rise, and wait until the waves hopefully subside.

Presently, I feel the rocking motion calming down and I am able to open my eyes once more, even daring to glance down to see how far I have before I reach Jack in the boat waiting below. Thankfully, it is only a short distance and soon I am standing, albeit a little shakily, in the small tub along with the pirate.

Jack sits down and wrestles with the oarlocks, getting the oars into the right places so that he is able to row. Then, he begins to pull with strong strokes and the two of us in this little boat head off towards shore. Looking back up at the Pearl as we head off, I see Alex watching us go, his face creased with worry. I manage a small smile in his direction, but he does not return it- instead the creases deepen and he disappears from the side of the ship.

Frowning to myself, I wonder what on earth is going on with my friend at the moment, and what is causing him to act so erratically. Sighing, I come to the conclusion that I will have to confront him about it as soon as we return.

Settling down into the boat, I look out across the bay towards the land we are heading for, taking in a little more of the scene in front of me.

Suddenly my breath catches in my throat as I see something very familiar.

The _Falcon_ rides at anchor just a little way off, sails furled and decks deserted, looking lost and alone. I feel my chin drop as I stare at the ship I thought had lost, and then turn around to see if Jack has also noticed her.

His eyes are looking down as he concentrates on rowing the little boat across the bay, but from the slight smug grin I can see on his face I guess that he has indeed spotted her, and more than that, knows exactly what she is doing here.

I manage to voice my astonishment.

"You _knew _she would be here!"

The pirate's dark eyes flicker up for a moment to meet mine but then look back down as he shrugs casually

"I may have done…"

I cannot believe I am hearing this, but before I manage to start shouting at this utterly frustrating man, I become distracted.

A keening howl ripples out across the water and, tracking its sound, I see a figure far out in the water- without being able to discern any exact features, I know instinctively it is one of the creatures I encountered earlier. It disappears momentarily as it dives beneath the wave, but soon resurfaces, this time with a companion.

As a second cry reaches my ears, I look round at Jack. Once again he raises his eyes to meet mine, but this time he does not drop them again, instead holding my gaze. I see his face change slightly as a rare expression crosses it- one of worry.

"We've got to get you to shore, luv…" He mutters, more to himself that anyone. He starts to pull harder and faster on the oars, seeming to make us skim across the surface of the water.

The voices of the sea creatures increase in volume, seeming to pull at my very heart strings and making me grab hold of the side of the boat as if to throw myself in with them. Jack, seeing this movement, takes one short pause to reach out and gently take hold of my forearm to prise my hand away from the side. Then he immediately starts rowing again, as if the devil himself were upon us.

In remarkable time, we make it to the rocky shore- I am glad of this, as it is taking all my strength to keep myself from jumping out of the boat and into the water. Jack jumps out into the shallow water, and pulls the boat the rest of the way up onto the shore. As he does so, I turn around for one last glance across the water, taking in the _Pearl_ moored a short distance out but also noticing sharp movements out of the corner of my eye of the sea spirits, still calling to me desperately. My heartbeat seems to double as I listen to their calls.

I start as Jack nudges me, spinning around so fast to face him that he reels back a pace, hand retreating to his belt and hair trinkets glinting against his dark hair, catching the sun as he moves. Once again, he seems to regard me slightly warily, wide kohl-rimmed eyes searching my face as his lips part slightly, lower one pulling back to reveal one of the many gold teeth.

Under this cautious scrutiny, I become worried.

"What?"

He shakes his head slowly, beads clinking against one another.

"No need to worry yourself, luv… You've got enough on your plate as it is, believe me…"

I open my mouth to respond, but close it again, finding my words have left me. I glance away, down the shoreline.

Out of the corner of my eye I see the worry on Jack's face fade, to be replaced by a smile as he leans forwards again, and reaches out with one hand. Rough fingers, turned that way by a lifetime of hard work, cup my chin with surprising softness. My eyes flick back to lock with his chocolaty pools and, as his thumb creeps up to touch my lips, I feel the colour rising in my cheeks. In my head I curse such girlish behaviour; however I do nothing to stop it but merely continue to stare at Jack's face, my eyes trying to take in every detail of those clever features.

Sparrow leans even closer, his grin widening into one of contentment as his eyes drop to follow the path his fingers make along line of my jaw. Gold teeth glint seductively in the sunlight.

I try to steady my breathing as I anticipate what is to follow- already I can feel his lips against mine, and smell the spice of the rum on his breath, but my imagination is not enough. I make the slightest move closer to the pirate, watching as his smile grows even more.

Jack tilts his head to one side, placing one hand at the back of my head, where I relish at the touch of it. The moment seems to last forever, our closeness suspended in time.

A sudden yank on the back of my head shatters the instant, making me gasp in pain. I look at Jack, wondering what caused him to do such a malevolent thing at a time such as this, and then my confusion doubles when I realise I can still feel his palm on my skull, in the exact same place as before.

Jack's attention is not focused on me, but elsewhere, his eyes following something over my shoulder. Then I see shock and worry enter his eyes, as he lets go of me and stands up, drawing his sword.

Another yank on my head makes me look around to see what has hold of me, and it is all I can do not to scream.

A wild face looks back at me, lips pulled back in a snarl to reveal rows of jagged teeth. The arm extending towards me is thin, but under the mottled grey-green skin I can see bunches of muscles, showing their strength.

One of the creatures that have been calling to me from the sea, in one last desperate attempt to reach me, has launched itself out of the water. Already, I see, the skin is smoking where it has left the safety of the sea, causing raw looking blistering patches.

The sea spirit hisses, pulling on the hair it has hold of once again. I realise with a start it fully intends to drag me into the sea, and so I start to wriggle in desperation, clawing at its cold, clammy hand and struggling to get a grip on the side of the boat. However, my hands slide helplessly along the worn wood, finding no purchase.

Then, another hand grips my own. For a moment I believe it to be another creature, but I realise this hand is warm and calloused from the toil aboard a ship.

Jack pulls hard against the opposing force, and I lean towards him with all my might. Slowly, the slimy grip from the being loosens, unable to maintain its grip. With one last desperate shriek, it lets go and dives back into the waters of the bay.

Thoroughly shaken, I lean into the rough material of Jack's shirt, relishing in the warmth and musky odour that emanates from it. Jack wraps his arms around my back lightly, breathing slightly more heavily from the physical exertion of keeping hold of me as he watches the creature swimming out into deeper waters.

The moment does not last long. Soon, the pirate releases me, looking down at my face briefly before reaching into the boat and pulling out a small bag of supplies. Then, he begins to walk across the shifting white sand, heading for the relative shade of a patch of the dead trees.

"Come on, Sierra… Time is of the essence, especially when we didn't have much of it to begin with. I trust you well enough to walk for the time being?"

I nod at Sparrow's retreating back, and then scramble across the sand to try and catch up.

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**Captain Uschi**- I am going to neither confirm or deny what you've said... ;) And yep, more Jack/Anyone is generally always good! (On second thoughts... more JACK is good!)

**RumQueen**- Equally, neither confirm/deny! Apart from no, she's not mad... I couldn't do that to her, I know what it's like. -Pulls crazy face- Hehe. And by CP I meant ChocolatPirate, I think... Me being too lazy to type out full names!

**Tenth Dead Mouse**- -Thinks- Nope, I'm not sure if you did either! But I'll welcome you aboard anyway! And thanks so much! I'm sure it's not that good but the comment is appreciated nonetheless! And I'm glad I've inspired you, I had a Rumrunner over on Parley do the same thing to me to start me writing this story!

**ChocolatPirate**- No worries! Glad you enjoyed it! And well, if you want to know what happens, you're just gonna have to keep readimg, aren't you? ;)


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

The going is hard, and soon I am struggling, what limited energy I had regained now lost. The stops we make on this difficult rocky terrain become more and more frequent as I struggle to catch my breath, until I begin to wonder if we will ever reach our destination.

It does not help that the route we are following is twisted and contorted as Jack follows seemingly random signs, often pausing briefly to look at a rock, or check our position in relation to the bay below. Although he is aware of the trouble I am having, he pays no heed until finally I collapse against a rock unable to go any further. He spins round, pulling out a water flask and saunters casually back down to where I am, where he uncorks the flask and hands it to me. I take large gulps, suddenly parched.

When I have drunk as much as I need, I hand the container back to Jack, who takes a swig for himself, pulling a face slightly at the bland taste of the water instead of the fiery rum he is so used to, before he recaps it. Then, he leans on the rock next to me, crossing his arms casually across his chest.

I tip backwards slightly and lie flat against the rock, making full use of this apparently short rest to attempt to regain some energy. Jack keeps upright, the movement of his dark eyes betraying how alert he is, despite his otherwise relaxed appearance- they dart up and down the path, taking in the surrounding undergrowth each time.

Despite the apparent need to stay vigilant, I cannot stop my eyelids from growing heavy and drooping down over my eyes. I begin to doze, the hardness of the rock not mattering as I try to rest.

Then, an image swims to the front of my mind like a monster of the deep- a pale-skinned man with cold, dead eyes, his face twisted into a malicious grin…

I sit bolt upright, almost losing my balance with this rapid change of position, just as I hear a whistling past my ear. Looking behind, I see a dart, one end barbed, clattering harmlessly off the rock where my head had just been resting.

Immediately Jack is on his feet, all usual swaying and unsteadiness gone as he draws his sword. The metal makes a dull rasping sound as it is pulled from its scabbard, and then the sword is in his hand completely steady as he waits to see what is out in those blackened trees.

Dark shapes soon emerge, looking distorted by the shadows thrown by the trees and making them look huge. However, as they close silently in on us I realise that the light is not playing tricks, but in fact these are gigantic beasts. I swallow, backing up even more against the rock and feeling glad for its reassuring roughness on my hands.

Jack still stands alert and watchful, but I know he will make no move against these giants, for even if he wanted to he is clever enough to know it would be over before he even started to defend us. However, as I spot the faintest hint of a smile in the corner of his mouth, I suspect that he does not even want to fight. Jack knows exactly what is going on, although apparently he hasn't seen fit to tell me.

As the beasts emerge from the murk, I watch as they take the shape of men… although like no man I have ever seen in any normal circumstance before. Muscles ripple in their arms, bulging as though they are about to burst out, and I see this trend occurs across their bare chests, twice the width of any normal mans. Nearing us, their true height becomes apparent as they tower over me, making me feel dwarfed- which, as I consider myself to be relatively tall for a woman, is an unusual experience.

Despite their size, they move as swiftly and silently as the wind, creeping towards us without making a sound, and at a speed I find astonishing. Clearly, their abilities have nothing to do with their appearances, for these are men of stealth.

In no time at all, they are standing before us. Even Jack looks a little unnerved at their height as he looks up to meet the eyes of the man standing slightly in front of the rest, distinguishing him as the leader. However, he hides his uncertainty by grinning charmingly.

"Gents…" He spreads his arms wide motioning towards them slightly with his hands. "We've come to pay a visit to Madame Bassette, and I believe, knowing her, that she'll be expecting us… Savvy?" His winning smile masks his uncertainty, something he does very well, making people believe he is in complete control of the situation when in fact he is anything but.

These men know, however, that it is them making the decisions for him. The front one turns to the others, wide grin revealing broken teeth, blackened to the gums. They seem to hold some sort of silent discussion; although no, words are said, their expressions change as once might expect to see in any normal conversation. Shortly, their leader turns back to face us, a decision having apparently been reached. He stares at us for a moment, gaze seeming to linger on our faces- mine in particular- before he turns wordlessly, heading off in the direction he came from. The rest of the group follows, including to my slight surprise, Jack.

"Come, Sierra." He calls over his shoulder in his rough voice, motioning with a sweep of his hand. Already striding away at a remarkable pace, I rush to catch up, feeling the strain on my body even from such a small amount of exercise. I sigh, preparing for the hardship of what is to follow as we progress at twice the speed we were at previously, thanks to the stride length of these men we are now travelling with. Stealth is not an objective now, but we still travel silently and leave barely a trace on our surrounds as we journey swiftly.

Soon, I see a huge rock face looming ahead, appearing from below the branches of the dead trees. It rises up, covered in blackened creepers and vines that threaten to choke it completely, until it completely fills our view of the horizon.

Only now do we come to a halt. I collapse against Jack, gasping for breath. He has to support me as my legs begin to buckle underneath my body.

"Steady now, Sierra…" He murmurs in my ear.

I look towards the rest of the group to see what is going on.

The men are standing in front of the rock face, searching noiselessly along it. Then, one steps forward and places his hands against flat along the surface, quickly followed by the others. In unison, they begin to strain and push, cords and muscle popping out along their backs and arms from the effort.

Both Jack and I watch in stunned silence as part of the cliff begins to move inwards, grinding against the other rocks from the friction. A gap begins to appear as it hinges in on certain point, creating a massive stone door that was completely unnoticeable beforehand, which opens faster as it starts to travel on its own momentum until it collides with the wall behind and shudders to a halt, leaving a stone tunnel that disappears into darkness.

The men, glistening with sweat from their exertions, straighten up and with hardly a glance towards Jack and I, head into the tunnel. After this obvious message that our short pause is over, we hurry to catch up once again- although Jack has to support me quite heavily as I struggle along on the last of my strength. I can only hope that this ordeal will not last much longer.

The darkness of the underground tunnel rises to meet us, swallowing us completely after only a dozen strides in. in the near pitch black I have to rely on senses other than just my sight to guide me- I am only thankful that the surface we are walking across is smooth, with no obstacles to trip me up. I use the cold rock wall to guide me, letting go of Jack for the moment so I can feel my way along. I can tell the pirate is sauntering along casually, as though this is a completely normal day for him.

Luckily, the pitch black does not last for long. Up ahead, our guides become silhouetted against a light coming from ahead of them, a pale green tinge creating a slightly eerie effect. I look to Jack, and am just able to pick out some of his features in the greenish glow- discs of metal glint from his hair in the limited light, and I see his eyes darting from side to side as he takes in whatever details he can of his surroundings- most probably formulating a plan for if things do not turn out the way he wants them to.

Ahead, the sound of water echoes as it drips from a surface. Rounding a bend, we see that the tunnel opens into an even larger cavern, holding the most curious of scenes.

The lighting is apparently due to the mineral this cave is made from- the walls glow, emitting an unnatural green colour which illuminates both us and our surroundings. Massive stalactites hang from the ceiling, formed over uncountable years from the constant dripping of water from somewhere high above, leaving behind deposits of this ghostly mineral. The sounds of the water still reaches our ears now as it drops down from above, adding a constant regular background noise.

However, none of this is as bizarre as what is towards the back of the cavern, on the opposite side to us.

A huge throne, carved from the same rock as the rest of this place is made from, juts out from the wall behind it. The light that it seems to emit is the same pale green, and appears to pulse slightly as I stare at it in disbelief. Perched on the centre of the chair, looking small and almost insignificant in comparison, is a woman- however, taking a better look at her as we cross the floor of the cavern, I see she is equally extraordinary.

She sits bolt upright and as still as the rocks around her, for the moment with her eyes closed- making me wonder if she is even alive, and not just some bizarre carving. However, as we step closer her lids snap open, revealing the strangest coloured eyes I have ever seen.

The green fluorescence of the rest of the cave may have been strange, but that now seems like nothing when this colour is seen in a pair of eyes. They shine through the murk, piercing into our group and almost making me halt in my tracks and turn back the way I have come. Unwavering, they narrow slightly as she watches us approach.

Looking at these, I now realise with slight shock that my first thoughts were perhaps not as far off as I assumed. This woman is part of this cave, intricately linked to the strange mineral in here. The throne she sits on is as much her prison as anything- unable to move away from it, she must rely on these beasts of men who came to find us for everything she needs. For a moment I feel sorry for this woman, but another thought enters my head as I stare at her ageless face, framed perfectly by a mane of white her that could be from age but equally from the situation she is living in- although the eyes are that vivid green, the gaze seems, as though she is not connected fully with this world but half lives in another place entirely. It occurs to me that she is not really aware of the state she is in.

Her servants reach the bottom of the plinth her throne sits on, and bow respectfully. Jack follows suit, appearing ever the gentleman as her places one hand casually behind his back and the other in front, across his chest. One foot slightly in front of the other, he bows low- but I notice he does not remove his hat.

Straightening back up, he smiles as he addresses the woman.

"Madame Baserre… We have travelled far, and have come to talk to you about…"

He is interrupted by the woman, and I see his smile fall slightly. The voice she uses is strange, sounding as though there are many accents mixed together to produce a strange, rumbling tone, with a pitch far lower than one would normally expect for a woman.

"Jack Sparrow…" Jack shifts uncomfortably, deciding against correcting her on his title. "I know why you are here, you need not explain. Great danger and trouble has befallen on you, thanks to the company you have joined with." Her eyes shift towards me. "Now you seek to know the reason behind these occurrences."

The pirate's smile returns, and he claps his hand together.

"Well, I'm glad that's sorted out, then." He replies. "So, if you'd be so kind as to fill us in, we'll be on our way with this mess sorted."

Madame Baserre laughs, making the sound echo around the cavern.

"It will not be as simple as that, Sparrow. And I believe you know it. Have you not looked at your companion's eyes recently?"

My head snaps round to look at Jack, suddenly suspicious. He refuses to meet by gaze, widening his eyes and looking down towards the ground, away from me.

I remember the time when we were rowing over to this island, and my wariness increases.

"Jack, what is it that you haven't told me?"

He glances towards me, kohl-rimmed eyes searching my face as he tries to gauge my mood. Crossing my arms, I show him I mean business.

Fortunately for him, he is saved from having to spin any tall tale by the woman of this cave. She snaps her fingers in my direction, indicating I should step closer. As I comply, she slowly reaches out a hand- the movement seems to take great effort as she fights against the strength holding her. However, she managed to cup my chin in her hand as she looks into my face, the clouded green eyes scrutinising every inch, although paying particular attention to my eyes. I resolutely hold her gaze in these moments, refusing to be intimidated.

After some while, she seems satisfied and releases my face, leaning back once again in her chair. She seems oddly pleased with herself as she addresses Jack, who manages to look both satisfied and unnerved at the same time when he hears what she has to say.

"It is as I thought… She is a child of Atlantis."

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**RumQueen-** Yep, well done! And sorry... lol. I do love drawing it out... Hopefully not too much? You'll find out what's going on properly in the next chapter, I promise!!

**Captain Uschi-** Hehe, you need to keep breathing! As I see it, it's an essential part of the whole living thing... Lol ;) Glad you liked it!

**Tenth Dead Mouse-** Haha, that's not the attitude! ;p And I know, I'm freaked out enough when I can't see the seabed... All those things that could be lurking there... Haha, how much is that NOT helping?!

**Chocolate Pirate-** Thanks! And youll find out in the next chapter, I give you my word! ;) It's open in Word as we speak... And I know, they just have to pop up at the most inconvenient of times, don't they? Hehe.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N- With luck, pretty much all your questions (the main one appearing to be 'Child of Atlantis'?!) should be answered in this here chapter... Enjoy!

ONLY TWO DAYS UNTIL I SEE POTC:AWE!! Woot! So excited!

**Chapter 7**

I look at Jack, confused.

"What does she mean?"

Jack carefully schools his expression.

"I'm not sure, luv… Wh-"

He is interrupted as Madame Baserre throws back her head and laughs, the movement causing previously unnoticed green stones adorning her hair to catch the light and glitter. She then addresses me for the first time, and I wonder how she knows my name- but then again, I would probably be astounded if I knew the extent of knowledge this woman truly had.

"Do not listen to him, Sierra. He knows far more than he is letting on. I think your best choice would be to listen to me… I will explain."

She leans back on her throne, delicately crossing her legs. Now, life appears to have returned to her as she looks more vibrant and as though she is properly part of this world. Those green eyes, however, still betray her differences.

"I shall start in the logical place- at the beginning…"

I am distracted somewhat as I see Jack roll his eyes, moving away to find a rock to rest against. He pulls his hat over his eyes and settles down as though he has heard this all before- which, now that I think about it, he probably has.

Madame Baserre shakes her head in despair as she watches his actions, but does not pause what she has begun to tell me.

"You have no doubt heard of the city of Atlantis?" She looks at me, but sighs when she sees my blank expression.

"Sparrow really has kept you in the dark about this one."

"Captain…" Comes the casual, if not somewhat muffled, response from under Jack's hat.

"You know that will not work with me, Jack. However, I will not spend much time bickering with you… I have much to tell this young woman, that you have refrained from doing so.

She turns her attention back to me.

"Well… Over 11,000 years ago there existed an island nation located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, populated by a noble and powerful race. The people of this land possessed great wealth thanks to the natural resources found throughout their island, which became a center for trade and commerce. The rulers Atlantis held sway over the people and land of their own island and well into Europe and Africa, which shows just how powerful this place must have been.

"This was the island of Atlantis.

"Atlantis was the domain of Poseidon, god of the sea. When Poseidon fell in love with a mortal woman, Cleito, he created a dwelling at the top of a hill near the middle of the island and surrounded the dwelling with rings of water and land to protect her.

Cleito gave birth to five sets of twin boys who became the first rulers of Atlantis. The island was divided among the brothers with the eldest, Atlas, first King of Atlantis, being given control over the central hill and surrounding areas.

"At the top of the central hill, a temple was built to honor Poseidon which housed a giant statue of Poseidon riding a chariot pulled by winged horses. It was here that the rulers of Atlantis would come to discuss laws, pass judgments, and pay tribute to Poseidon.

"Below this main hill, there lay the densely populated city of Atlantis where the majority of the population lived and worked, farming the fertile soil, harvesting the abundant fruits or working at the port with the trade ships.

"For generations the Atlanteans lived simple, virtuous lives. But slowly they began to change, as greed and power began to corrupt them, and they sought out the riches of the world that are not meant for mortal souls."

Madame Baserre pauses here for a fraction of a second, her glowing green eyes flicking towards where Jack is resting, apparently asleep. However, for once there is no sign of any kind of a response, and so she continues.

"When Zeus saw the actions of the Atlanteans he knew it could not continue, so gathered the other gods to determine a suitable punishment. They decided that the city should be exiled to where the evil deeds of the people could not affect the rest of the world, and that far below the surface of the sea would be the best place, where it would be completely out of sight. And so, Calypso…"

Her head turns to look at where Jack is, a movement from him having distracted us both. One dark eye peers out from underneath the brim of his hat, and he opens his mouth as though to add some comment. However, he decides against it and shuts it again, replacing his hat back over his eyes. Then, he waves his hand somewhat dismissively towards Madame Baserre, indicating she should continue. The woman narrows her eyes at him, but does not pursue his actions any further, and then follows his suggestion, starting once again from where she left off.

"…summoned a massive wave to engulf the entire city. The design that was originally to keep Poseidon's love safe, now became the downfall of the island as water overflowed from every canal way. Soon, in one violent surge it was gone- the island of Atlantis, its people, and its memory were swallowed by the sea. It still exists today, to my understanding, although the population have become shells of their formers selves, all knowledge reduced to wild instinct and malevolence, and their appearances changed to reflect their master, the sea."

She leans back in her throne as an image flashes into my mind of a creature, skin the color of the water it inhabits and with eyes of a similar swirling shade, its mouth drawn into a snarl as it reaches out to grab my hair and pull me into the water. I shudder, expelling the vision from my mind.

"This is a fine story, to be sure… But I see no link between it and me."

The woman laughs once more.

"You have spent too much time with that pirate, Sierra. You're even starting to sound like him. But, this story does have a link to you… A very close one, in fact, which I am just getting to. Please, be patient."

She closes her eyes for a moment as though trying to collect her thoughts, then opens them again and starts the second part of her explanation.

"Most of these beings have now become content with their lives, the generations having forgotten the life on land. However, some are desperate to escape.

"One such of these creatures was so determined to have some experience of what it must feel like to be a normal human that she risked life and limb to make it to a shoreline, climbing above where the water reached so that sea could not feel what she was doing. She did not think, or care, of the consequences. But, she did not consider that she may find love on that desolate coast where she made her escape, or she may have thought rather longer and harder about what could happen…

"The coast was not as deserted as she had anticipated- not long had she been sat on the shoreline, drinking in the abundance of sights, sounds and scents, then a man came along the beach. Curiosity won over her better judgement, and she stayed to watch him, fascinated by the way he was like her, but then so different at the same time.

"She watched for too long, and he caught sight of her, peering out from behind a rock. I know there are those who do not believe in love at first sight, and think that it is simply a passing fancy for youngsters… But this love was true and strong, and would never be lost- from the moment their eyes met, their futures were joined.

"Neither expected anything to come from that night on the beach… They knew that each would have to return to their respective lands at daybreak, but for that moment they could be of the same.

"These meetings continued over a period of several months. However, one day the female Atlantean discovered something that could jeopardise both their lives- she was with child.

"The gods of the sea were not long in discovering this secret, and so the rest of her adventures above the surface of the sea. The lands they had tried to keep separate for so many years had connected and worse, new life had been born from it. Understandably, they were not pleased- as a way of punishment, they banished the child from Atlantis as soon as it was born, and sent it to live with the father. It displayed no characteristics of its mother, but the gods were so enraged they decided it could not be simply left to lead a simple life. And so, they placed a curse upon this child, so that they were drawn to follow the sea for the rest of their lives. This curse would also be passed on through the blood of the child, as a lasting reminder to the two worlds.

"The couple who originally caused such unrest were you ancestors, Sierra."

My attention snaps fully back to Madame Baserre at this abrupt statement.

"The curse that has been passed down through generations, growing stronger with each new child. You father did not simply follow the sea as a way of life- he had no choice, he was bound to it due to the curse on the Falcon family, as each generation has been. And now, it has finally manifested itself in you."

I swallow, somewhat nervous.

"Manifested? What does that mean?"

Madame Baserre sighs.

"The blood of the Atlanteans as good as fills your veins. Before now, you have only noticed the slightest affects of the curse, which could simply pass unnoticed. Have you never considered how odd it is that you have never suffered from seasickness?"

I open my mouth to ask how she knows this, but then close it again as it sinks in that what she is saying is true. Desperately, I turn to Jack.

"This isn't true?"

The pirate reappears from under his hat, looking slightly guilty.

"I'm afraid it is, luv… You'd best sit tight, and listen to the rest of what she has to say."

I turn back to the woman on her throne, who smiles, but in a slightly disconnected way. Every minute she speaks to me, she is fighting against the forces attempting to sweep her away from this world.

"I do not have more to add. Only that you are linked to the sea, and are becoming more so with every passing day- the signs are all there. If you do not act soon, then there will no escape. You will become an Atlantean, forced to spend the rest of your days in that underwater city."

I sigh, lowering my head. I still find all this hard to take in, and voice my doubts.

"It is true that I have been unwell these past few weeks, that is true. But I still hesitate to believe what you are telling me- people of the sea, banished there thousands of years ago, my ancestors and a curse, which somehow all relate to me?"

"If the lack of adverse reaction to the pull of the sea, and now these creatures following you every time you go near the sea- I would like to point out that is there territory, and if you are ever enticed into it, you will instantly be lost-, have you not seen the change in your appearance?"

She motions to one of her guards, who steps forwards holding a small mirror. I look to Jack for some sort of reassurance, but the pirate has suddenly found great interest in one of his hands, and does not make eye contact. Therefore I have no choice but to take hold of the gilt handle, and stare at my reflection.

At first, I see only my normal face, if a little thinner than when I last saw it. Looking at its shape, I see nothing unfamiliar. However, then I glance at the reflection of my eyes, and see them widen in shock as I take in what I am seeing.

The pupils are small and fixed, looking strangely feral. However, it is the backdrop to these that I find the most startling- the normal blue green colouring of my eyes has intensified, mixing with grey in places, and these colours do not stay fixed but swirl around as if they have a life of their own. My eyes, which people had always, I realise with a slight start, likened to the colour of the sea, have actually become like their colouring. I can almost sea waves forming as the constantly shift from one shade to another, the colours chasing across and becoming entangled in one another. It is a beautiful, yet terrifying, sight to behold.

Drawing my attention away from my reflection, I stare at Jack.

"How much of this did you know?!"

Jack looks wary, and pauses as though he is carefully considering his words before he replies.

"I'd heard the tales, that much is correct… But I never believed that there was any truth behind them. Not until recently, when this illness mysteriously appeared. At first I believed it simply to be a sickness picked up somewhere that would pass in a manner of days… But then, you became worse, and started having those nightmares… Visions… And those strange creatures, so intent in dragging you to the depths…

"I knew there was no escape when we were rowing over her… I looked at your face, and noticed your eyes. No simple sickness in the air could have caused them to go so wild. So, for once, forgive me, Sierra… I should have acted beforehand."

I am shocked at this complete change of character.

_The pirate is asking for forgiveness?! Surely not…_ I think to myself. However, looking at Jack, he really does look truly sorry. I cannot help but warm to him.

"Jack… I do not blame you for the decisions you made. However, there is still one question that needs be answered…"

I fix Madame Basserre with a stare.

"Why did you take my ship?!"

She laughs.

"I knew we would not have to wait long for that question… The _Falcon's Flight_ is precious to you, with so many links to your father. But, do not worry… I will explain further, and you can rest assured she will be returned to you when you leave this island."

Wordlessly, I nod.

"You have no doubt noticed my unusual appearance and surroundings. I have been placed here much like the Atlanteans have been placed in their watery domain- held by forces much stronger than me; I can only serve their wishes, and act as guardian to this place. With each passing year, the grip over me grows stronger- in not too long I may well end up looking like the rock surrounding me. However, with this responsibility, there are also gifts- for example, foresight.

"I had a vision, in which I saw many images… You, your father, the city of Atlantis... I then knew that the curse had started on its final lethal circuit, and that soon it would be too late to do anything about it. I had to act, had to somehow acquire your attention… And fast.

"I learnt, by sending my men to various isles, of your recent activities with Serpiente and Chalmes, and how you had acquired your father's ship. It came to me of how I could bring you here… I doubted somewhat that you would simply follow my men across the Caribbean on their word. I knew of you contacts", her pale eyes slide to Jack, "And I knew they would know the origin of those who took your ship. Then I only had to wait for you to arrive."

I sigh in confusion.

"It's a strange way to attract my attention, to be sure…"

She interrupts.

"However, it worked, did it not?"

I pause, realising she is right.

"Now, all that is left is for you to find a way to save yourself from the fate that has been placed on you unjustly. I cannot help with this, however much I would like to… Save for to tell you to go to the city of Atlantis. There, you will surely find the answer. However, I also urge you to hurry… You do not have long left."

From behind me, Jack splutters with laughter.

"Last time I checked, you couldn't just stroll up to Atlantis, and knock on their front gate… There's the small matter of an ocean's depth of water between us and it…"

Madame Basserre turns, and fixes Jack with a cold stare. He appears to shrink back slightly at the power in those eyes.

"Do you not think that I am fully aware of that, Sparrow? Honestly…"

Turning her gaze back to me, it warms slightly. She snaps he fingers, and one of her guardsmen appears beside her, holding a strange object.

A beautiful conch shell, as large as the man's two hands, which are by no mans small, put together, shines dully in the limited light. The inside is a vivid pink colour, disappearing into the intricate, tightly wound inner, while the outside, rising and falling in gentle peaks and troughs, is the same hue as the golden sands that I remember so well from my old home in Montserrat.

Madame Basserre takes it from the guard, holding it easily despite its size.

"This shell can be used to raise Atlantis from the depths… The gods created it as a way to resurrect the city if the situation was ever grave enough, and left it in the care of those on the land. I do not think that they would argue that when a young woman's life is in danger, the situation is grave indeed."

She passes the shell to me and I grip its smooth surface, admiring the sheen and complex design. I am slightly surprised at how little it weighs, despite its size.

I am distracted from the gift by a movement in front of me. With great effort, Madame Basserre is rising from her throne, looking as though she is fighting every inch of the way. Finally, however, she stands tall, and raises her arm to point towards the way we entered this strange place. She speaks two words.

"Now go."

Wordlessly, her men begin to herd us out. Equally quietly, both Jack and I comply with her final request, not looking back as we leave that still world.

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**Tenth Dead Mouse-** Answered your question? ;) And does it tie in with any of the ideas you had?

**Captain Uschi-** Answered your question? ;)

**ChocolatPirate-** Answered your question? ;)

**RumQueen-** Yeah, sorry... I love them! Hehe. And 'Jack barely resisting to etch "Captain" into the cavern walls'?! Haha, I love it!


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N-** Slightly shorter chapter this time... I've been busy with exams recently. Luckily, I've got my last one tomorrow (It's Physics though... Hmm). Anyways, enjoy!

Ohh... And what did you guys all think of AWE? I personally loved it, but I've heard quite a lot of people have the opposite opinion...

**Chapter 8**

The men leave us just after we exit the cave, melting away into the surrounding undergrowth. Despite being unable t see them, we still feel their presence, and hurry as fast as I can manage back to the shoreline, and our boat back to the _Pearl_.

As we cross the ash-grey sands, I finally speak up.

"How do we find this place?"

Jack pauses, turning to face me.

"You're forgetting, luv…"

He reaches down to his waistband, hand taking hold of a small, compact object there. Holding it up, he shows it to me.

"My compass. It is unique." He flips open the lid and I see the dial spinning wildly for a moment, before settling on an unwavering path, pointing out across the bay and on towards the horizon.

"Ah." It is the only response that I can think of.

"Ah indeed." Jack turns back around and continues to stride down the beach, calling back over his shoulder.

"But for now… My main aim is getting you back on my ship, without those…" He waves his hand in the air "Creatures, getting hold of you. Savvy?"

I nod in agreement.

"Right then… Into the boat. And hold this." From somewhere in the bottom of the boat, he produces another oar.

"Why do we have three oars?" I ask in confusion.

Jack simply looks at me.

"Please, just trust me, Sierra. Keep hold of it. It's going to be a useful… deterrent… if we are challenged."

I place the conch shell next to me, gripping the smooth wood of the oar. Jack climbs in, punting the boat out into deeper water, and then begins to row us across the increasingly choppy water and back to the waiting _Pearl_.

The journey back is thankfully uneventful- a few times I think I see a dark shape moving in the water beneath the boat, but when I look there is nothing there. We reach the side of the _Pearl _in good time, and climb back aboard to find the crew, curious, crowding round. Jack ushers me away to the relative calm of his cabin where I sink gratefully into a chair, welcoming the rest.

It is not too long before there is a knock at the door, and Alex's head appears round it. I am surprisingly glad to see him. As he slides around the door I see his gaze slide down to my lap, and, following it, I notice I have the conch shell laying there, my hands wrapped protectively around it.

"Did you solve the problem?" He inquires.

Jack shakes his head, beads jangling against one another.

"It's only just begun."

Sighing, Alex turns to me, concern visible in his eyes.

"Sierra… Are you all right?"

The iciness of the tone I reply in startles even me.

"Not only am I just recovering from whatever strange illness this situation gave me, but having also just found out that, thanks to a mistake made by my ancestors decades ago I am related to a race who are cursed to reside at the bottom of the ocean and thanks to _another _curse, are intent on reclaiming my blood… a blood which is at war with itself in my veins as we speak… So, how does that make you think I may be faring?

Alex looks shocked, and out of the corner of my eye I catch Jack mid-sway, his jaw hanging open slightly from my sudden rant. I realise I may well have said too much, and so apologise, suggesting instead that Jack fills Alex in with the details. As he does, I watch as Alex's brow becomes more and more furrowed.

Jack's hand waves around, illustrating his points as he talks.

"Basically, Sierra's come into contact with a curse that was bestowed on her ancestors by ancient gods who, by being gods, do not understand what it is to love and so got rather upset when said ancestors had said feelings, due to a minor issue with the… race… of said ancestors. Anyway, now this curse has been passed to Sierra, hence the illness and the changes to her appearance…" he locks eyes momentarily with me at this point, "and so, if we don't find a way to get her out of this mess pretty bloody quickly, she's going to find herself residing at the bottom of the ocean at the home of the fish people… Savvy?"

Alex nods dumbly, a crease almost splitting his forehead.

"And you were told all this by…"

"The woman living on the island." I add in.

Jack nods towards me.

"An old acquaintance who, incidentally, has been in a similar situation to you, Sierra. Only, hers was not as escapable as I hope we will find this one to be…"

I look quizzically at Jack, who rolls his eyes slightly before explaining further.

"Madame Basserre is, as an opposite of you, a child of the Earth. She has been placed as guardian of those sacred caves on that island, bestowed with unique gifts to help her in her task. However, she has had to forfeit her very existence to become like she is now- she cannot ever leave that place, and is slowly becoming part of it. Did you notice her eyes, Sierra?"

I incline my head, remembering the pale, shocking irises ringing distant pupils.

"Eyes are always the in which you can truly work out a person" Jack says. "A dishonest man shows his deceit… A lover, his passion… And with a person who is not truly of this world, they will show a distance that cannot be measured."

He looks at my eyes, and I know he is taking in the strange, swirling tones- the colours of the sea. When Alex follows his gaze, I drop my gaze, uncertain.

An awkward silence reigns for a moment, as both men look down at me, sitting in my chair grasping the conch shell. Then Alex, ever the sailor, speaks up.

"What is our course then, Captain?"

"We need to reach Atlantis." Jack says. "Or, at least, its position. Then we shall summon the city from the depths, and see if we can find a route out of this madness."

Satisfied, Alex asks one more question.

"Do we have a heading?"

Jack grins, flashing gold as he pulls out his compass. Consulting the dial for a brief moment, he points somewhere over his shoulder.

"Relay that to Mr. Gibbs."

"Aye, sir." Alex begins to head out of the door, throwing one last worried glance at me.

Jack waits until he has reached the door before calling his name.

"Alex?"

The man stops, turning back around to face the pirate.

"Captain?"

"Make sure that we travel with all haste. This is the fastest ship in the Caribbean, and I want everyone to know that this time… Savvy?"

Alex nods, the urgency of the situation successfully conveyed. He disappears out onto deck.

Sparrow turns to me.

"Now, Sierra… I think that it would be best for you to rest. We cannot have you up and about too much with this illness…"

I agree, making to rise. When I am standing upright, I pause for a moment, turning to Jack with a smile on my face.

"Actually, I feel much better now."

This statement does not have the desired effect- instead of looking pleased, Jack instead is unnaturally straight-faced.

"Then this situation is worse than I had anticipated."

He walks over to me, briefly stroking down the line of my chin with a rough thumb before turning on his heel and striding out of the door, shouting instructions as he does so. Behind him, I am left in a confused silence.

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**Captain Uschi-** You're liking where this is going? Oh good! I've had it all carefully planned out in my head for a while, so that's nice to hear! I'm rather pround of it, meself. :D

**RumQueen- **Haha, I like watching you guys squirm while I string it out. But all is revelaved now. And I'm glad you like Jack... I try to write him as true to form as I can!

**ChocolatPirate-** Thanks! And sorry this chapter's a bit late (by, like two days... I'm sure you lived for that long, haha.). As a general rule, I try to update every two weeks... I'm sticking to it quite well at the mo, I think...


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N-** Argh! Mucho busyness! Just a quick update, to keep you all up to speed!

**Chapter 9**

A shimmer of silver makes me focus warily on the surface of the water, peering hard through the waves being created from the _Pearl's _prow. The shape dodges in and out of existence, skimming to the surface before plunging away again… I prepare to back warily away from the side of the ship.

Then, a curved fin breaks through the surface of the water, and I laugh out loud in relief.

The dolphin, taking advantage of the unnatural speed of this ship, races playfully along side, diving in and out of the waves which makes me admire its grace and freedom, wishing I could be as free of troubles as that at this moment in time. Sighing, I lean against the darkened wood, cupping my chin in my hands while I watch the creature play.

As it is joined by the others of its pod, I lose all sense of the real world as I simply concentrate on their graceful shapes. As is becoming a worrying tradition, I do not hear Alex approaching until he is standing right to next to me.

As his shadow falls across me I start, looking up to see him looking down at me- with the worried expression he always seems to have now, whenever he looks at me. Trying to ignore his expression, I smile, hoping to get one in return, but his face does not change and I am forced to look away, disconcerted.

Looking back down at the water, I see that the dolphins have disappeared.

"Oh…" I lean back, disappointed.

"They do not want to follow us any longer, Sierra… They fear the place we are bearing, and with good reason… It has always been seen as evil." Alex explains from somewhere over my shoulder.

I look round at him, surprised.

"How is that possible? Yes, the people of Atlantis have done wrong before, but that was generations ago. How can we assume those alive today are the same?"

Alex shakes his head, blonde hair spilling over his eyes.

"You have seen them for yourself, Sierra- they are no longer people of this world, but have changed… Reduced to something feral, vicious… They feel no pity, for the majority."

"The majority…" I echo. I refuse to use such a strong word as evil to describe anything, without good reason.

"Sierra, there is no question about it. They are dangerous, more so than you realise…" He looks at me, frowning. However, to my surprise his expression changes as he bursts into laughter.

"You needn't have such a face of thunder… I was only stating what I have always been told." He chuckles as I continue to look serious. Then, as quickly as it did before, his face becomes straight again. I wonder what thoughts are flying through his mind.

Alex looks down at the water, focussing on the ripples which, flecked with silver from the sun overhead, stretch out to the horizon. He appears to be unable to look at my face.

"Sierra, there has been something I have been meaning to say to you. There just hasn't been a good time; you always seem to be followed everywhere by…"

He breaks off as there is a shout from behind. I whirl around, to see Jack striding towards us, dishing out orders in every direction. I take once glance at Alex before the captain reaches us, and am surprised to see the quiet fury in his eyes.

Jack whirls to a halt in front of us, hands suspended in mid-air as he eyes us quizzically. Then he turns to me.

"Sierra, we're nearing our destination. I'll need to see you in my cabin, to discuss just what is going to happen when we get there… Make sure there are no mistakes. Savvy?"

He points down towards the door leading towards his quarters. Sighing slightly, I move off the rail at the side of the ship and head in that direction, hearing Ale move to follow me. However, Jack must have stopped him- I hear him say in a low voice:

"As you were, sailor."

I can imagine Alex's face at the indignity of being referred to as a simple 'sailor'… I am sure he will have something to say to me about it later. For now however, I am preoccupied with what Jack needs to say.

Walking into his cabin, I fold myself into my usual chair and watch as Jack enters behind me, closing the door. From his purposeful stride, I can tell he is going to keep this purely businesslike, and a part of me sinks in disappointment- a part that I quickly push away.

Turning towards me, he flashes a quick smile.

"No need to fret, luv… I'll keep this simple."

I just nod in reply, leaving him to carry on."

"Here's what we're going to do. When we arrive at the site of Atlantis, we'll fetch out that conch shell of yours. Then you'll do your magic… Blow into it, or whatever… Summon the city, and then we'll shimmy over there and find out how best to lift this curse… thing… You've got going on… Savvy?"

It seems simple enough, so once again I just nod in reply. Jack looks satisfied.

"Glad that's covered now."

There is an awkward silence, as the pirate simply stares at me, chocolate-brown eyes roving across my face. For once, he seems unsure, which in turn leaves me at a loss for words. My own eyes are unable to stop following his as I swallow nervously. I shift position slightly, trying to break the mood in the cabin.

It seems to work. Sparrow's eyes snap up, and his face instantly splits into an open smile, gold teeth gleaming.

"Well, if that's all, I'd best be back to my crew… No questions? Good."

He turns tail, and starts to exit the cabin. I believe I hear him say something, but cannot quite catch the words.

"Sorry?" I lean quizzically to one side, trying to see his face.

He turns back around, confusion written in his features.

"Sorry for what?"

"You said something, and I didn't quite hear… Could you repeat it, please?"

His expression grows even more confused as he leans back ever so slightly, eyes looking from one side of the cabin to the other.

"I said nothing, Sierra."

Now it is my turn to look confused, staring down at my folded legs in front of me. I try and remember what I heard, to make sense of it but it is useless- the words escape me.

However, as I concentrate I hear the expression again, this time a little clearer. I manage to pick out my name, but apart from that the rest is still muffled. I am certain now that it was not Jack who spoke though, now that I have heard it once more- the tone is smooth and of a higher pitch than the pirate's own rough tones. Instead, I decide the sound is coming from the side of the ship and so stand and walk towards starboard, only half aware of the way Jack wheels slowly on one foot to follow my progress, the rest of his body held in the same position.

Leaning against the smooth blackened wood, I press my ear to the boards.

The voice grows louder, and is joined by others as I strain to pick up the meaning of what is being said. However, the understanding still flows away from me like water on sand, with my name being the only part I can make any sense at all from.

Jack appears by my side, curiosity on his face as he looks at the concentration on my own. With one hand, I motion for him to follow my actions which he does, joining me in leaning against the wood.

"Listen… What are they saying? I can't make out the words… Surely you, with your vast knowledge, can make out the words?"

I look towards Sparrow expectantly, hoping that the flattery I dropped in there will help him to comply. However, I am to be disappointed- the curiosity on his face contorts, changing to worry.

"I can't hear anything, Sierra… Only the sea against the side of the _Pearl_. To be sure, it sounds like voices sometimes… It's nothing unusual."

I wave his comments away impatiently.

"They _are _words… I heard my name." I reply.

Jack's eyes grow wide, accented by the dark kohl. He pulls me away from the side, despite my protests. The voices rise in volume.

"I'd thought you would have learnt this by now… Do not try and communicate with them, Sierra… You should have guessed who was talking. They are dangerous…"

I lose track of his words as, suddenly, my mind is filled with others.

"I can understand!" I draw a sharp intake of breath at the beauty of the words.

Jack grabs both my shoulders, looking into my eyes. I try to stare back, to concentrate on only him, but it is impossible- what is being said is too alluring.

"Sierra!" I see Jack's mouth open, as though in slow motion. The words do not quite follow the opening and closing of his lips, creating a disjointed feeling. I am unable to respond, my mind registering too slowly that my name is being called.

All around, the voices rise in volume. I slowly disentangle myself from Jack's arms, neatly avoiding any hold he tries to get on me once again. I feel as though I am drifting towards the door, my feet hardly touching the wooden floor…

Something brushes my arm, and I look down, confused, to see Jack's hand retreating. I pause for a moment, glancing towards his face.

I feel as though I should be more concerned with what he is saying, but somehow cannot manage it…

"Sierra, luv… If you can understand what is being said, then it is almost too late for you… You have to fight it. And trust me; it's a rare occasion when I decide fighting is the best option… Do you hear me?"

Dumbly, I nod. Jack manages to look slightly happier.

"I believe we're near enough there now. I'm just going out on deck to check… Do you care to join me, or would you prefer to stay here?"

I think of the open sea, alluring with its mystical and enchanting creatures, drawing me closer and closer to the edge of the ship… And shudder slightly.

"I will wait here, thank you, Jack." Returning to my chair, I shut my eyes and block my ears, trying to muffle any possible communication the Atlanteans are trying to make with me. I am so tempted to listen, to uncover my ears, but remembering that startling look of desperation on Sparrow's face, so uncharacteristic, compels me to keep my resolve.

I feel so incredibly stupid, sitting curled up on a chair with absolutely no way of knowing what is actually going on in my surroundings. All I can do is wait… Impatiently, I shift position.

However, I do not gauge where the arm of the chair is correctly, and bash my elbow against it, sending shocks ripping up my arm. I gasp, taking my hand away from my ear to nurse my painful limb… And soon realise the mistake I have made, as sound fully returns to me, tenfold stronger than before, it seems. Voices wash through my mind, with one message being repeated over and over until it takes over every inch of my being, and I am no longer in control of my body. I try to move to re-cover my ears, but it is too late.

Gripped by some force I am compelled to stand, and begin to walk towards the door, only half aware of what is actually going on. How I manage to pick up the conch shell at some point as I make my way out onto deck, I will never know, but it seems to appear in my hands, the smooth shell gleaming in the afternoon sun. I make my way to the side of the ship, no-one stopping me, or even seeming to notice my presence- they all seem too wrapped up in the orders Jack is issuing.

Suddenly, the world seems washed out and far away to me, with faces, sights and sounds draining out of my mind as fast as they enter. It is only the ocean which retains its original vibrancy as it glitters in the sun. Looking out over it, I am motionless for a moment as I listen to the beautiful words weaving through the air. Then, I slowly raise the conch shell to my mouth, without a second thought as to what I am doing. Taking a deep breath, I blow hard.

An eerie sound fills the air from the shell, resonating over the water and causing ripples on the otherwise still sea. I am vaguely aware that all movement aboard the _Pearl_ has ceased as people turn to look in amazement at where the sound is coming from, but otherwise my mind is completely blank as I focus on what I am doing.

However, suddenly a pair of strong arms grip my own, wrenching the shell away from my mouth and abruptly cutting off the sound. It also breaks the spell that I had cast on me, as the voices of the Atlanteans rise in a keening screech before dropping away all together.

"What do you think you are _doing_?!" Alex hisses into my ear.

He pulls me bodily away from the side of the ship.

"You shouldn't be out here without someone knowing, not so close to our destination, Sierra! Especially with that shell… What did Jack tell you?! You could have been taken…"

Once I down my surprise at the anger in his voice, I look into his eyes and see the deeper, stronger emotion of fear. I understand his irrationality, and so try to explain.

"They told me… I couldn't stop it. They were in my head, controlling my body… I had no choice but to do what they said."

He shakes his head. Then, from behind me, another voice, coarser, speaks up.

"Well, you have single-handedly succeeded in ruining the plans that I so carefully laid out for you, Sierra… Surely they were not that hard to follow? Although, I don't think you've caused too much damage, just started everything moving rather sooner than I'd anticipated, that's all…"

I look out over the calm seas, seeing absolutely no change whatsoever.

"Too much damage, Jack? I cannot see any change at all, let alone damage…"

Jack smiles knowingly, gold glinting. I eye him warily.

"Just wait, Sierra."

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**Captain Uschi-** Thanks! Hope you enjoyed this chapter too!

**RumQueen-** There isn't... Not really... It's all kinda the same thing. And how was Jack in this chapter?

**ChocolatPirate-** Thanks! I was rather proud of that bit meself :D. And goooood, glad you liked it too!

**Tenth Dead Mouse-** Thanks! I put it down to my overactive imagination haha... It does get in the way sometimes though!_  
_


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N-** Okay, this is a bit late... Sorry! But I've been away in Wales for a week... Anyways, here you go!

**Chapter 10**

Hours pass, and nothing happens. Immediately after my incident with the conch shell, Jack ordered the anchor to be lowered, and since then we have been floating in the middle of the Caribbean Sea, waiting in near-silence as the sun dips low over the horizon for I know not what.

I spend the time, for a change, with Alex as we seem to forget our present worries, instead reverting back to how we were before all this stress ruined our lives- laughing and carefree. We spend several happy hours relaxed in the warmth of the sun, talking about every subject that springs to mind. I am pleased to leave the strained relationship we had become accustomed to recently behind, at least for the moment, and instead enjoy some time where we are not at each other's throats, or on each other's nerves. Thankfully, Jack also keeps his distance, sensing that we really do need some time in which to catch up, and renew the friendship that had begun to be cast aside. For once, I am glad of the pirate's absence; I do not want to lose someone who I feel is my one true friend.

Around us, the rest of the crew wait, faces set as they keep watch out to sea as our captain has ordered. At some points when mine and Alex's conversation lapses into natural pauses, the tense atmosphere and silence surrounding us becomes apparent, often making me shift uncomfortably. Luckily Alex seems oblivious to the mood around us, picking up another thread of discussion- whether he does it purposefully to distract me, I do not know, but it works and I am grateful for it.

However, at one of these pauses, I notice a change in the atmosphere of the ship.

Instead of the tense watchful silence, activity has once again resumed as I notice people rushing past- most, it appears, in the same direction. Standing, I see they are all crowding to the side of the ship, making the _Pearl _rock dangerously with the unbalanced weight. Oddly, they are pointing at something in the water, and so, frowning slightly, I walk over to the side as well to see what could possibly have grabbed their attention.

Immediately, I notice that the previously calm seas have become alive, darkening in colour and churning over and over themselves. I have never seen the water so animated before, and wonder what is causing it.

However, that is the least strange this as I follow the gestures of the crewmen, my mouth hanging open slightly in amazement. Alex, who had followed my example and so also stood, curses in a way that would have made me smile in any normal situation.

Unnoticed, Jack has also slipped alongside me, and the three of us stand slightly separate from the others as everyone cranes to get the best view of the spectacle occurring.

I stare at the strange spike that has just appeared out of the choppy seas, unable to stop myself from admiring the elegant twisting pattern etched into it, the uneven pattern suggesting that it had been formed that way by the sea itself.

Beside me, Jack smiles in his wicked way.

"Ah…" He sounds immensely pleased with himself.

After a quick glance in his direction, I return to watching the strange phenomena occurring in front of my eyes whilst ignoring the fearful gasps and muttered oaths from the crew around me.

The spire begins to rise, growing wider until it ends, to be replaced by a smooth rounded shape which breaks through the water, a beautiful shade of aquamarine. At first I believe it to be some strange leviathan of the deep but as more becomes visible, I realise that it is in fact the tallest tower of a building… But a building like nothing on this planet.

This could only be Atlantis.

All the muttering going on around me slowly dies down as people watch the city rise from the depths in awe.

Tall spiked towers glisten in the sun as water drips off them, making them look like polished blue glass. In opposition to what may be expected due to the city's location underwater, the buildings are remarkably clear of any form of sea life- looking as clean as when the city was first constructed.

As more of Atlantis becomes visible I cannot help but draw an intake of breath at the beauty of it. The intricate patterns and decorations that cover every inch of the towers, walls, arches and columns that I can see give me no other option but to truly believe this place was created by the gods. Different levels, separated by spaces where I presume roads must pass, become apparent after careful examinations of the layout of the city on the hill it is built on. Each level appears to be more decadent than the last, rising up to the very top of the hill where a massive pillared structure can be seen with the spires that we saw appear out of the water first. The glassy stone reflects the sun's rays and causes a gleam that is so bright I am forced to look away.

As gigantic walls appear in front of the _Pearl_, enclosing the city safely within them, everyone aboard has to grab hold of whatever sturdy object is nearby due to the huge swells that are stirred up, further rocking the ship and making me fear we may even capsize. I am thankful for the place Jack chose to anchor- we could have so easily decided to wait right over where the city was, making me shudder at what sort of a situation we would be in right now.

Everyone aboard the _Pearl _is still and silent, as the crew try and comprehend what they have just witnessed. Looking around at the men closest to me I see some with their mouths hanging open, and others with mixed emotions showing clearly on their faces- amazement, disbelief and fear being a few I can identify. A couple of the crewmembers appear to be deciding whether to run or not.

I personally cannot stop myself from admiring the gates to the city.

Taller than the _Pearl _they rise above us, flanked by the wall on either side and casting a long shadow as the block out the low evening Sun. Their brilliant blue-green hue is not painted on but seems to be the colour of the actual material they are made from- but this is clearly a material I have never seen anything like before. The different shades are never still, but swirl around each other, making the gates look as though they are made from the sea themselves.

But it is, perhaps, the carvings that I find the most fantastic. I am in awe of whoever fashioned them, so long ago, as they must truly have been a master of their trade. Scaled sea creatures, wild and ferocious with snapping jaws, snake and hiss at the brave men they are locked in immortal combat with as the men raise their weapons high, twisting out of the way of the beasts. The wild eyes of the men and the gaping mouths of the creatures they are fighting looks so realistic that they unsettle me- I keep thinking I see a movement from one of the characters out of the corner of my eye but when I turn my head to look properly, they are always in the exact same position they have always been, the only thing moving being the constantly shifting colours.

Then, as I watch, a rumble starts up as these great gates begin to swing open. I can see no mechanism to aid them in doing so, and yet the water puts up no fight against them as the gap becomes wider and wider, the gates gathering speed as they open. Water is sucked in between them, rushing to fill the space behind where previously it was dry, and this sudden disturbance is so strong that the _Pearl _rocks violently at anchor, straining against her leash until the tension becomes too great and the thick rope snaps as though it was no more than a piece of silk from a spider's web. Once again, anyone who does not have a firm grip on anything is thrown off their feet, and in the worst cases, overboard, as the ship joins the surge of water flooding into the city.

We pass through the gates at a dangerously high speed, thanks to the water carrying us, and I am afraid that we are going to smash into the walls and be wrecked- if the water were to carry us in the wrong direction… Luckily, however, this does not happen.

Once past the gates, the force of the water lessens and the ship slows to a more normal speed, although still carried along by strange currents which seem to know exactly where to take the _Pearl_. However, as one problem ends a new one begins, at least for me- the voices that have been constantly at the back of my mind, whispering and crying out to me, start to reach a new level now that I am within the walls of their home. They rise in volume until it is all I can do to withstand throwing myself over the side of the ship, and stopping their voices once and for all. Curling up on the deck, and ignoring whatever quizzical glances may be thrown my way at this strange behaviour, I try to desperately lessen the noise. As I concentrate so hard on doing this, I hardly register as a calming hand is placed on my shoulder- glancing up, I notice rather distractedly that it is Alex, smiling down at me sadly. I do not say anything, simply returning to my former position, but I am thankful for the support he is providing.

As we are pulled towards a mooring place in the natural harbour that we appear to have entered, the voices die down after their sudden, startling uproar. I am able to sit up weakly, surveying the scene laid out in front of me as Alex stands by protectively, with the rest of the crew following suit- staring out across the city in awed silence.

On the dock at which we have become moored- without ropes or anchor, but even so the ship has come to a dead halt- a figure stands, immobile.

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**ChocolatPirate-** Okay, you've probably gone away now, for which I apologise- I've just been so busy! But for when you get back, I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as the others!

**Captain Uschi-** Alex is annoying you? Oh dear... Is he any better in this chapter? Still, glad you like Jack and Sierra!

**RumQueen-** Well, more description in this chapter... Like it? And yeah, I'm pretty sure Jack's used to oddness by now! Hehe.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N-** Sorry for the lack of updates recently, I'm not quite sure what's happened! Hopefully I'm on track now for the final few chapters...

**Chapter 11**

Looking back, I see most of the crew still crowding against the side of the ship, a variety of expressions across their faces- some looking relieved that they do not have to venture into this strange place, whilst others appear annoyed that they were not chosen to accompany me and Jack.

Meanwhile, on the docks a small group surrounds both me and Jack, all personally picked by the pirate captain for their willingness and loyalty- we cannot afford to have anyone deserting us here as we are not entirely sure of what we are going to encounter. Alex is among them, sticking close to my left shoulder as though he is scared to lose sight of me in this unfamiliar place.

Sparrow picks a powerful pace as we stride to meet the figure at the end of the docks, so that the rest of us have to hurry to keep- even so we fall slightly behind, and thus I cannot see the expression on his face to gauge the mood of the situation we are in. However, as we near the person- or creature- waiting for us I am able to get a proper glimpse of what they look like, and all worry is forgotten as I stare in amazement.

They look nothing like the mermaids I have heard so many tales about, with their golden hair and gleaming fish-like tails, sunning themselves on rocks or playing with dolphins. And yet he, for I realise it is a male, does not look very much like those I have actually had experience with recently- the strange spirits that had seemed so intent on dragging me to their home. Instead he appears to be of an entirely new creation.

Like those I have seen previously his skin shimmers a brilliant blue-green, the colours mixing together as though pushed by unseen currents. It is mesmerising to look at, distracting me from the rest of the body for a while as I trace the patterns of the swirls and wavelets that chase across the skin. I have never seen anything so beautiful, or bizarre. I personally would hardly be able to believe that a creature with skin such as this would actually be in existence, instead believing it to be some sort of strange statue, if it were not for the face that rests upon broad, muscular shoulders.

The features are well defined, chiselled out of the rest of the face. I can only assume that this male is handsome to his race, as I see enough of a resemblance to a human to be able to guess that his nose is straight and unmarred from any brawl or unfortunate accident, and the cheekbones are high, curving down to a mouth with a quirky upturn in each corner. However, that is where all reference to the ancestry of the man ends as I stare into his eyes- similar to his skin, they carry a depth that is almost unfathomable as the blues and greens get caught up in one another. But what I find most startling about them is that they bear an unsettling resemblance to the eyes I had seen staring out of my own face when I had looked into the mirror at Madame Baserre's cave- I can now see why Jack had found them so disturbing.

I manage to pull my eyes away from his and continue to study the rest of the body. The ears, I notice, are also unlike any human's but more resemble those of faeries or magical beings in stories, as they are pointed, tapering to a fine point. Continuing along this mythical theme, the powerfully built arms- ideally built, I guess, for swimming, end in large palms with long and delicate fingers joined together by apparently fragile webbing- I can clearly see veins winding through the thin, almost transparent, blue skin. However, I know these must be stronger than they look as they will have to put of with the strain of propelling this creature through the water at high speed. The feet follow this same thread, with webbing once again between the long toes.

All this leaves me in no doubt that these people are perfectly adapted to the world they live in. what confuses me slightly, however, is the way they appear so different to the spirits I had previously seen- this man seems so much more lifelike and part of this world, rather than simply a spirit of the sea.

Jack halts at what he must deem to be a safe distance. I know he is eyeing the creature up in equal amazement as me, but he appears to do a much better job of not gawping, simply glancing casually up and down as though he meets the like on a regular basis. And for all I know, he may well do.

I see the creature's mouth open, and he begins to talk. For a few moments all that can be heard is a strange whooshing, the sound of waves breaking on a beach, but then words start to become distinct from the rest of the sound. I cannot tell why this change takes place- if the man of Atlantis himself is adapting his language to suit us, or if the city itself is, in some strange way, aiding us to understand his speech.

"Welcome to Atlantis, guests. And what honoured guests indeed…" He lowers his head slightly in my direction. "I am Eris, Protector of the people of Atlantis."

It amuses me how these people, however different they may seem, still have the same gestures as those who still live on the land. However, I am slightly puzzled as to how he instinctively knows who I am, and that I am an honoured guest instead of someone who is to be hated and resented- after all, it is the fault of my ancestors that they were banished to this was of life in the first place. However, none of these negative feeling show on the face of the man as he stands here, without even a guard to ensure his safety from these foreigners- instead, he looks pleasant and welcoming.

Jack replies in his usual casual tone.

"Honoured guests, ay? How have we managed to earn that title, may I ask?"

The man raises one muscular arm, pointing a webbed finger towards me.

"You have returned our sister to us- people with such courage as to take such a dangerous journey must surely be respected."

Jack glances towards me, and raises one eyebrow. I see his is trying hard to feign innocence at the situation, trying to weigh up all sides.

"Your sister, you say? It is peculiar; I do not see the resemblance…"

Eris laughs, and I can tell the ploy has not worked as Jack would have hoped it would.

"There is no point in playing these games… Although, from the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow of the _Black Pearl_, I would expect nothing else… You wonder how I know your name?" He says in response to Jack's perplexed face, although it is more of a statement than a question. "The sea carries many tales, not least of your kind, and as beings of the sea we hear all that occurs in and on it. We have been following your movements, ever since we learned that Sierra Falcon had been taken aboard your ship. We were aware of her heritage even when she still saw herself as Sofia Chalmes, back when you drugged and kidnapped her and took her to the Isle of Mirrors. As soon as she was on the sea, we were aware of her, and her destiny to find herself here was sealed. It was inevitable, really- sooner or later, she would have been drawn to the water. You, Sparrow, simply helped the process along."

I try to suppress the shudder that what he says brings up.

"So, even before my illness… Before I saw those sea spirits…"

Eris cuts in.

"Sea spirits?" He looks slightly confused for a moment, then realisation dawns. "Ah, you mean our trackers… I suppose they could be classed as spirits, at least by you humans. They are still Atlanteans like the rest of my people, however. It is just that they are even more… In tune… with the sea than the rest of us, making it easy for them to follow you as they instantly know everything that is occurring across the water- one small movement, and they will be their in a moment. That is why they have less of a distinct body than us others- being part of the sea is so much easier for their tasks. However, they can be a little wild and over-enthusiastic, for which I apologise. Particularly where they tried dragging you into the water with them, Sierra. They have been suitably disciplined."

This time, I cannot suppress the shudder as I think of what this 'discipline' may have entailed.

"But enough of that!" Eris breezes on, unaware of the effect his words have had on me.

It strikes me that, for all its beauty and wonder, underneath Atlantis is still a harsh and cruel place- more like the sea it is bound to than I originally thought. The cold shiver that has been running up and down my back seems to lodge itself there permanently with this realisation.

"We are grateful you have brought her to us, Captain Sparrow. Do not fret; your efforts will be justly rewarded."

Jack looks interested at this prospect for a moment, and I eye him worriedly, almost able to see the gold gleaming in his eyes. However, he shakes his head as though to rid himself of any temptation and then shakes it more firmly to decline the offer.

"You're very kind, mate…" Eris looks slightly affronted by his casual tone, "but that's not the reason we're here with the girl. You see, I have no intention of letting her go, especially if she is doomed to an existence here, away from anything she has ever loved. So, if we can come to some sort of an agreement…"

Eris begins to laugh, but the sound only serves to reinforce the fear I am feeling, especially when the laugh becomes harder, with an edge of malice that I had not noticed before.

"You misunderstand me, Captain. Sierra has no choice but to stay here now."

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Captain Uschi- Oh good. I want you guys to like Alex, so it worries me slightly if you think he's annoying! But anyways, hope you enjoy this chapter like usual, and thanks, it was great! I'm off to Paris for a few days with my friends tommorrow, should be good!

RumQueen- That review made me laugh so much! But you see, I like leaving you hanging so much, I just can't help myself! Hehe. And thanks for the praise, much appreciated as usual!

ChocolatPirate- Well, here's another chapter for when you get back... Hope you enjoy it then!


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N-** I used to be so good at this updating hoojemawhatsit! What happened?! Anyways, a new chapter for you guys!

**Chapter 12**

Eris speaks in a strange hissing, rattling voice, completely different to his previous one.

"It is her blood we need. In it runs the history of her ancestors and our people. She cannot leave here while it still flows in her veins- now she has set foot in Atlantis, she is bound here by it."

Jack pulls a face, one of his lower lips curling downwards slightly in disgust. He looks at the ground, muttering to himself.

"Blood… _Why _does it always have to be blood?!"

He falls silent for a moment, apparently in deep thought. Then he looks back up, his old cunning smile once again back on his face.

"Well, pass me a knife and we'll get started… A nick of the finger, a few drops of blood… I'm sure you could handle that, ay, Sierra?"

He looks towards me hopefully. However, from behind, Eris speaks up once more.

"No… We need all her blood. In every drop is an imprint of the past, and every imprint must be removed."

Jack's eyes roll away from me, and his face falls. Somewhat reluctantly, he turns back around to face this being of Atlantis.

"All her blood, you say… Are you certain?" He narrows his eyes questionably.

It is no luck though. However much Jack may try and bargain his way out of this, Eris is unmoving. He answers with a single word.

"All."

Sighing, Jack's shoulders fall a little. A hush falls over the group, as they realise with horror what this means- I am to be left, a prisoner, of this place. Alex looks particularly distraught as he glances at me with panic in his eyes.

A laugh abruptly echoes out from behind Eris, and I look towards the source of the sound, somewhat startled. I had not noticed that there were any more people on these docks, but now I noticed some must have silently joined us to witness this strange event, as a collection of Atlanteans stand in the shadows of the nearby buildings, eyes trained in particular towards me. For the most part they are silent and impassive, except for one- a male, slightly shorter than Eris but much broader, making his appearance stocky, is looking excitedly at each member of our group in turn, and is producing the laugh that so startled me. When his face, its features so different to Eris's with a wide, flattened nose and strange puffy cheeks falls on me, I see malice glint in his grey-green eyes and he begins to speak, turning heads in his direction.

"The girl will soon be ours. There is no way…"

Eris snaps his head round to glare at the man who dared to speak out, cutting the gravely tones off mid-sentence.

"You, Brutus, will remember your place. I am sure your family would prefer it if you were able to work and bring food home to the table… For the moment these people are our guests, and will be treated as such."

The smile disappears from Brutus's face, and he slinks back into the crowd, suitably shamed to want to retreat from the piercing eyes of his leader.

Jack seems not to have noticed the exchange, as his head is still lowered. Suddenly, however, it rises again. He glances over towards me, and I see a glint of something in his dark eyes- hope. Once more, he turns to face Eris.

"Her blood, you say? So, the body it is encased in does not matter, as long as it is the blood of the Falcon line?"

Now it is the creature's turn to narrow his grey-green eyes.

"That is correct…"

Jack claps his hands together in triumph- apparently this was the news he wanted to hear. He turns to his men, appearing once again as the Captain they all know.

"Prepare the _Pearl_; we'll be sailing on the first tide out of this damned place."

The crew look at each other, slightly confused by this sudden change of plan, and Jack has to flap his hands in their direction to start them moving.

"Hurry, men!"

As everyone save for Alex, who stays behind to help me, begins to move away, Gibbs looks back dubiously towards his Captain.

"Jack?"

Jack answers his query with one of his own.

"Have you ever heard of the Ka'tun ritual, Mr Gibbs?"

"Aye…" Comes the reply, as the older man looks as though he is trying very hard to work out what on earth is going on. Then, suddenly, his eyes widen in comprehension, and a broad smile cracks across his face.

"And I'm presuming we'll need a… volunteer, for this ritual, Captain?"

Jack nods in agreement, making Gibbs' grin even wider.

"Tortuga?"

"Tortuga." Jack returns Gibbs' smile with one of his own, and Gibbs turns away to scurry back to the ship. However, he is stopped in his tracks by Eris, who had been following this discussion closely and now decided to speak up.

"It will not work." His eyes shift from Jack to Gibbs, who both look uncertain.

"But you are the people- the only people- capable of performing such a ritual…" Jack begins.

Eris shakes his head, cutting the pirate off mid sentence. He then continues with an explanation.

"Look at this woman here, the friend you appear to value so much. She is fading fast because of that curse in her veins… I do not think she has very long left before she is completely consumed, and becomes like us." He indicates to himself, and then over his shoulder to those others who lurk behind. "And by then, it will be too late to save her. You will never make it to Tortuga and return here in time to perform the ritual, and you cannot take her from Atlantis now. It is too late, she must come with us. There is no other way."

Jack's eyes have been widening continually as the creature speaks, and now he looks just about ready to explode from frustration.

"Nnnnghhh" He brings his hands up, hands balled.

Alex curses quietly next to me, and I realise that he has at least some idea as to what is going on. I whisper to him in question.

"What is this Ka'tun ritual…? And how can it help me?"

Alex whispers back, eyes still fixed on his Captain as Jack stands stock still, eyes wide and hands up near his mouth as he mutters to himself.

"It is an ancient ritual, older even than this place…" He motions to the city of Atlantis behind him, "where the blood of two people are swapped through some ancient ceremony- the details of which I'm afraid I do not know, apart from the only requirement is a willing donor. It was useful when trying to disguise someone, to make them appear to disappear or to make the trail change course. But I have heard it is a dangerous process, and one which has not been used in a long time. I think Jack planned to find some poor unfortunate soul, and use their blood for you, thus freeing your own to fulfil the curse. But it sounds as though we are too late…"

He lapses into silence, and I sigh, looking towards Jack who is still standing in the same position.

"Then there is no hope left for me… it appears I have no choice whether I join these people or not."

I move to take a step forwards, but Alex grabs hold of my wrist, preventing me.

"No! Sierra, they will surely kill you. Yes, they treat you with respect now, but their world is a harsh one with no option of leeway- you are an outsider, despite your blood heritage, and thus you will not last long. Walking away to join them now… It is suicide."

I purse my lips slightly.

"But there is no other way…"

"The ritual…" Alex begins to answer, but I roll my eyes and sigh with impatience.

"Alex, you just heard Eris… It is too late! You would never make it to Tortuga and back in time to stop me becoming completely like them, and besides, where would you find someone who is truly willing to play a part in a ritual such as this, when they know they will ultimately die? You cannot simply pull a drunk off the street- even if they say, through their stupor, that they will be the body to swap with, it is not the same thing as being consciously willing. Can you not see that?"

"I can…" Alex pauses for a moment, his face troubled. Then he breathes deeply, raising himself up taller as is bracing himself. "That is why there is only one option left…"

I look confused.

"Use me."

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RumQueen- Haha, don't worry, you're forgiven. Thanks for pointing it out. And also, thanks so much for all the praise! Paris was great, I had so much fun!

Captain Uschi - Pointed ears are great, I have to agree! AndI hope I haven't kept you waiting _too _long...


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N**- Okay, yet another long silence from me, for which I apologise. Combination of things, including my laptop deciding to die for a while. But, it's back alive now, so here's an extra long chapter to make up for it! Hope you all like it, I'm rather proud of it meself... ;)

**Chapter 13**

"It's the only way, Sierra… Can you not see that? You cannot live while Falcon's blood runs in your veins, and I see no other person willing enough to save you here." He glances around at the other crewmembers present, but they all look away and refuse to meet his gaze, unwilling to admit that he is right. Sighing, he shakes his head.

Alex looks at me, and I can see love in his eyes. I bite my lip to try and stop the emotions spilling forth, but it does no good- tears spill from my eyes to drop down and mingle with the pools of sea water on the glassy stone under my feet. He smiles, trying to hide his own sadness, but he cannot, his eyes betraying other emotions until he is forced to drop is gaze, looking down at the palms of his hands. A long thin scar, silvery with age, runs across one of them, and I know he is looking back on his life, remembering all the times he told me about, fishing off the coast of Port Royal with his father. He had sliced his hand open on a rock near the shore one day, trying to retrieve one of their nets…

I snap out of my reverie as Alex speaks.

"I could not bear to see you die, knowing that there was something I could have done to prevent it. I do not care about the cost to me, so long as I know as it is for a good cause… And you, Sierra, are the greatest cause of all."

I dare not speak, so stand and stare, tears streaming down my face as I try not to think about what I know is to come. Alex steps closer to me, unfolding his arms to lay a hand on my shoulder.

"From the moment I saw you carried aboard the _Pearl, _unconscious thanks to whatever he'd drugged you with," he motions towards Jack, whose eyes widen as he tries to look innocent, "I knew that I was both doomed and blessed to follow you for the rest of my life. I can't help it, you are just…."

He pauses momentarily, seemingly lost for words, then changes route

"I'd prefer it this way to any other, you have to understand that. You are bound to follow a wild path… Part of that may be due to your blood, but I know you enjoy the freedom too much- you will never fully settle down, living quietly as someone's wife. And I could not bear to ask you to do that, but at the same time I cannot bear to continue in this same vein. It's tearing me apart and I'm powerless to stop it."

"But there must be another way, as apposed to this…" I look over his shoulder to where the spirit is waiting expectantly, desperately trying to think up a way out of this desperate situation.

Smiling at my hopeless determination, Alex shakes his head.

"You have just been standing here whilst we have discussed all possible options… deep down, you know there is only this way that your soul can be saved."

Desperately, I turn to look at Jack but he averts his gaze, unable to meet my eyes. The man who is known for coming up with brilliant plans in the nick of time looks lost, shoulders slumped slightly as though in defeat. The rest of the crew follow suit, looking anywhere apart from at me and Alex. Apparently, I am alone in making this choice.

I refuse to let any thought creep into my mind that this is the only possible way. I cannot come to terms with the fact that to save myself, I have to watch a dear friend of mine die instead. How could I possibly consider that a just exchange?

And yet I have to think of it. Looking into Alex's blue eyes, I see determination I have not seen before, and I know that I will have to think of a very good reason to convince him this plan is not a good one… and I will have to think fast.

Running through the facts only makes it harder. I cannot leave Atlantis now, and there is not enough time to go find a more worthless soul to perform the ritual with- that is providing we could even find a willing one in the first place. So that leaves either me, thus avoiding the ritual, or Alex, who, being a willing sacrifice, will have my blood swapped into him, and then will be handed over to the people of Atlantis to face certain death.

I shake my head. How can I condemn my innocent friend to that kind of an end, however much he tries to convince me it is what he wants?

I squeeze my eyes shut tightly, trying to imagine this is all simply a bad dream and that if I wish hard enough, it will just melt away. Like this, with only the sound of the sea in my ears I can almost believe my hope to be true, and so I delay opening my eyes again for fear of what I know I will see.

However, a movement in front of me forces me to perform that action, and as late- evening sunlight floods my gaze, I see Alex has stepped closer to me.

"Trust me, Sierra, and feel no sorrow or guilt. This is the only way… if I think of it selfishly, it will save me a lot of heartbreak later on… and I am performing a good deed at the same time, for I can think of nothing nobler than dying for a friend.

While I am wondering about how he could possibly be even contemplating himself as selfish in a situation like this, Alex catches me off guard by leaning forward and pressing his lips to mine.

I ignore the grunt of surprise from Jack- who has decided to pay attention now, it would seem- too surprised at this apparently sudden change from Alex.

He kisses me lightly, unsure at first whether I will simply pull away, in shock or even disgust, but then, as I make no such move, he progresses to something harder, more desperate- the kiss of a doomed man.

On the edge of my mind, something questions the length of this kiss, and whether the feelings that stir somewhere deep inside me are real or something I have conjured up from the heat of the moment… I feel strange, almost dizzy, and yet this is nothing compared to the electric shocks that ran through my body when Jack first kissed me. I am not objecting to this situation, but neither am I wholly embracing it… truthfully, I do not know how to react.

However, my thoughts and feelings do not have to last much longer as soon, Alex is pulling away, leaving me dazed and more than a little confused. A look of intense sadness crosses his face for one moment as he stares down into my eyes, taking one last long, intense look at my face. Then, an almost cheerful smile appears, lighting up his blue eyes and making his face look so alive I cannot help but smile back, however sadly it may be when I think of the situation he is in.

With one last look at me, he turns and walks towards where Eris is standing.

Realising what he is doing, I begin to run forwards, thinking in desperation that if I can just reach him, I will be able to stop him. However, strong arms wrap themselves around my waist from behind and lift me from the ground, holding on with grim determination even when I twist and struggle.

"_Alex!" _I scream, fighting with all my strength against Jack's grip. I never agreed to this plan, never said to Alex that I too thought this was the best thing to do…

And yet I know, as I see Alex draw level with the merman, that there is no turning back. I watch with shock, unable to understand what is going on, as Alex's mouth opens and closes, words being exchanged between him and Eris. Slowly, my struggle weakens until I am limp and complacent in Jack's arms, almost grateful for the strong grasp as I lean against him, unable to trust my legs to support my own weight. It is almost like being ill again, but any illness would be better than having to endure what is about to happen, surely…

Words swim into my mind, their meanings hollow and lost on me, merely adding to my confusion.

"_You understand what the ritual entails?"_

"_I do."_

"_And you are truly willing to participate in it?"_

"_I am."_

The conversation rings in my ears as I stare at Alex's face, unable to see even a flicker of doubt there. He has his heart set on performing this one final task, for me.

My own mind is full of uncertainty, not least because I still do not fully comprehend what is going to take place… How is it possible to swap one person's blood with another?

Eris closes his eyes, and places one of his long-fingered and webbed hands onto Alex's golden head.

A strange rushing noise envelops me, as Eris begins to speak a long string of incomprehensible words, their meaning lost long ago to land-dwelling mortals. I cover my ears to try and block the almost deafening sound, but it is inside me, there is no escape… I bend over, somehow managing to escape Jack's clutches as I curl myself into a ball on the wet stone of the Atlantis street, with one last glance over at Alex who I see has adopted a similar position, before I have to squeeze my eyes shut from a sudden flash of pain that shoots across them.

A great gaping hole seems to open up within me when I realise that was probably the last time that I will see Alex alive, the edges raw and jagged and causing me to gasp aloud with an almost physical pain. I curl myself tighter, trying desperately to fill the hole with anything- memories of my past life as Sofia Chalmes, even images of Jack where I love to see him most, at the helm of his beloved _Pearl- _but nothing can replace what has just been lost to me, everything that was, and everything that could have been…

One image of Alex in particular is fixed behind my tightly-closed lids, a memory of a happier time where he is standing next to me at the helm of the _Falcon, _laughing at some joke I must just have made. As the amusement dies away to be replaced by his normal good-natured expression, he looks down into my eyes, and this time I recognise an emotion that had always been there, hiding away at the back of his gaze, but I could not previously put a name to- love.

Pain rips through me once more, but this time I realise it is not from the grief of losing my friend, but actual physical pain from every nerve in my body. I writhe on the floor, trying to find some avenue along which to escape the intolerable feeling, but it is not use- every single part of me tingles with a stabbing pain, similar to when the blood circulation is cut off to an arm or a leg for a while…

I realise my thoughts have more sense to them than I meant them to. This must be part of the Ka'tun ritual… I had even managed to forget about that, for a moment, while I was so occupied with thoughts of Alex.

The pain begins to die away. I realise that the rushing has stopped, and Eris has finished chanting... The ritual, it would seem, is complete.

Tentatively I uncurl from my protective position, becoming aware of the cold along one side where the water from the floor has soaked into my clothing. I also notice that a deathly silence has fallen over the surrounding area, and I raise my head to see what this may be about.

All eyes are focused on one point on the floor, all with the same sad gaze. In some pairs, I see flashes of other emotions too- remorse, regret, but strongest of all, respect. Momentarily confused, I look over to where they are staring.

At the first glimpse of the body, lying in a similar position to the one I was in on the glistening stone, my heart seems to stop beating and I feel the blood- so newly introduced to my system- drain from my face. I cannot breathe, I cannot move.

Alex's head is turned away from me, so I have no idea of the expression that is on his face. In my shock, I do not realise that perhaps this is the best way to leave it, so the last proper memory I have of him is as the friend that I knew and loved, so happy and full of life. Instead, I force my legs to listen to what I am telling them to do and stand, somewhat shakily, to my feet. In a daze, I walk over to his side.

Almost immediately I realise my mistake as I stare down into his lifeless eyes, which are for some unknown reason open, unfocused and unseeing. They are not the beautiful brilliant blue that I previously knew, but an entirely different colour.

Aquamarine blues and greens swirl together, making the eyes appear to have a depth that is almost unfathomable. The patterns chasing across them- the only things now moving in Alex's body- give the eyes a storm-like feel as the colours darken to near black.

I do not have a long time to stare in disbelief, however, as I am dragged backwards almost immediately, spun round so I cannot see the face any more. For once, I do not try and argue with Jack's arms, grateful instead for the rough-woven fabric of his coat that I can bury my head in as the sobs spill forth. I am shaking uncontrollably, deeply disturbed by what I have just seen.

Jack's voice, somewhat muted, breaks through my tears.

"Mr Gibbs… If you would be so kind…"

I sense rather than hear the feet move around us, over towards where I know Alex lies. I hear Mr Gibbs murmur something in a low, respectful tone, as he performs the task he knows his captain wants him to do. Jack must watch closely, and so knows when it is safe to let go of me and turn me around once more to face the now peaceful-looking body. However, I am still haunted by that previous face.

"The curse has passed on from you to Alex, Sierra… The eyes are a characteristic of that curse, of the Falcon blood, and now it is no longer your blood or your curse, they are no longer your eyes. Look at your own, if you don't quite believe me…"

From somewhere in the depths of his coat, Jack produces a shard of mirror, cracked and blotted from the salt of the sea but nevertheless still capable of performing its job.

I wonder what the reason is for Jack having this slightly strange object.

"Why?..."

"You didn't expect me not to keep a little momento of our first encounter, did you?" The pirate winks at me roguishly.

Looking closer, I realise the mirror is in fact part of a rock from the strange Isla del Espejos, where all this trouble seemed to begin…Doubtfully, I take it from him, and glance into its smooth surface. A sharp gasp escapes my mouth.

Alex's brilliant blue eyes stare back at me, looking shocked and scared in this new face- the mischievous twinkle that I am so used to them having seems to have gone. I reach up to touch my face, disbelieving, and as my hand also appears in the reflection I am forced to come to terms with the fact that they are no longer Alex's eyes, but my own instead. It is almost too much for me to be able to cope with as I realise I will have to live with these eyes every day, and that every time I catch a glance of my reflection, I will be reminded of these events, this day, and the sacrifice my friend made for me. I sway unsteadily on my feet.

Jack grabs hold of me to support me, and once again I do not object to his grasp. Some part of me suggests some crude joke about how I would usually be punching him if he held onto me this much under normal circumstances, but it is a mere whisper as the rest of my mind is filled with thoughts of Alex.

I cannot dwell for long, however, as the Atlanteans appear to grow restless. I had, to be truthful, forgotten that they were there, but now they seem to close in around us, not yet threatening but nonetheless, it is not a pleasant feeling. It would seem that now they have the blood of the Falcon line- and have halted any possibility of that line continuing- they are growing more and more anxious to be rid of us.

The crew of the _Pearl _begin to edge backwards, towards the safety of there ship. I can see they are impatient to escape this bizarre world and return to the relative normality of the hustle and bustle of the Caribbean islands.

However, I am not quite ready to leave, and as Jack tries to pull me away from Alex I stand my ground, planting my feet.

"We must give him a proper farewell…" I mumble, as much to myself as anyone else. I cannot bear to leave my friend simply lying there, on the cold stone where he fell. He deserves so much more than that- perhaps a place on a remote Cliffside, looking out over the Caribbean Sea…

Jack seems to read my mind.

"No, Sierra… The body now belongs to the people here. As you could not leave this place with the curse in your veins, the same now applies to Alex, dead or alive."

The full meaning of Jack's words hit home, and my body begins to shake with sobs that I make no effort to control. I cannot bear to think of the prospect of leaving Alex in this God-forsaken place, away from everything, and everyone, he loved when he was alive. It seems to me as though I should at least try to repay the huge debt I now feel I owe him, and by burying him somewhere that he would have loved, properly, I would think that the guilt would begin to lift. However, it now seems I am being forced to just leave him here…

Looking into Jack's chocolate eyes, I see there is no hope. The normally crafty pirate is lost for a suggestion, possibly for the first time in his life, and for that reason I am forced to accept that what he is saying is true. Like it or not, Alex is staying here. The weight that accompanies this realisation threatens to crush me, as I shake even more form the massive hole of grief that has suddenly opened again.

Knowing that this truly is goodbye now, I walk over to Alex's body. Jack seems to understand my motive, as always, and lets me go. The people of Atlantis appear slightly more worried, for reasons I do not understand- if I cannot remove their body, their 'prize', then surely they have nothing to be concerned about…

Ignoring them, I kneel down on the glassy stone next to Alex. Staring into his face, I ignore the image that flashes into my mind of the horrific eyes, instead focussing on the closed lids so that I can imagine his eyes are their proper brilliant blue once again.

I reach out and touch his hand lightly, not unsurprised at the way it is cool, the blood having stopped bringing the warmth and life to the body. It does not unsettle me, however, instead leaving a clam feeling over me. Lifting the hand, I press my lips against it in a final farewell gesture.

The shock that follows has me instantly thrown backwards. Thoughts and feelings rush into my head, none of which are my own but each having a strange sense of recognition attached. They follow a seemingly random pattern, with no correlation between the people, voices or times of year that I see. They are simply a collection of jumbled images, but more vivid than any memory I have ever had before.

Slowly, they fade away, leaving me bewildered as I become aware of the world again. Jack is instantly at my side, helping me to my feet, as I apparently fell.

I sense he knows what just happened. Opening my mouth, I begin to demand an explanation, but he simply shakes his head slightly and murmurs in a low voice,

"Now is not the time, luv… We'd best get a move on, if we don't want the locals spearing us with their forks…

I notice the Atlanteans now appear more restless, and nod my head in agreement. For some strange reason, I do not feel as bad leaving Alex's body now, although for the moment, I cannot quite work out why…

Taking one last glance at the body, I realise why. It is only a body… the thoughts and feelings of the person have disappeared. And I think I begin to understand how this can be…

I follow the others back to the ship, my brow furrowed in concentration. Although nobody, not even Jack, comes near me, I do not feel alone.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N** Please don't kill me! I am a bad person... I've got excuses, mylifehasbeenreallyhecticrecentlyexamsandshizzandeverythingjustgottoomuchblahdeblah, but basically, I'm sorry!!! Here's the final chapter... I hope you can vaguely remember what's happened and can just read this to finalise everything! Thank you every one, you've been great!**  
**

**Chapter 14**

Watching the hordes of creatures that have now gathered on the quayside as we depart, I feel a sense of unease- although leaving, we are still completely at their mercy until we pass through the great gated walls and out of their territory. We can only hope that they will be merciful, now that their goal for centuries is complete.

Fortunately, they appear to make no such move as we move ever further away, their focus turning instead to the body of my friend that is still lying on the stone. I see that they mean to take good care of him- even from a distance, they are moving in a fashion that emanates respect of the highest kind. From somewhere within the city, six men march in, carrying an elegant litter that is adorned with gold leaf and intricate swirls. Alex's body is lifted up onto it, and then a procession begins to form, the litter leading the way as they slowly disappear into the city. Strange, muted chanting floats across the water to me, growing ever fainter as the gap between us and Atlantis grows.

With a slight sigh, I incline my head in a gesture of respect to the city, and then turn away, unwilling to watch any longer. Atlantis is one place I have quite had my fill of, and now that Alex's body has disappeared from sight I see no reason to keep staring. Instead, I now have far more pressing matters to attend to.

The first one I find easily, at the helm of his ship as he ensures she passes through the great walls safely. I can see the concentration on his face as momentarily the light is blocked from overhead due to the sheer size of the walls. Suddenly, however, we emerge on the other side into dazzling sunlight, with nothing but empty sea ahead. Jack's face cracks into his clever smile as he silently congratulates himself for navigating the narrow channel. Then he sees me standing nearby, and comically tries to straighten his face as though nothing had happened.

"Ah, there you are, Sierra… I was just wondering where you'd got to."

"Indeed…" I reply, somewhat doubtfully.

Jack's smile returns, rather absently, as he stares towards the horizon. However, I am more concerned with what is occurring behind, as I turn around to look back at Atlantis.

The city seems to be becoming increasingly smaller, and I realise it is because it is sinking into the water once again, heading down to the depths where it belongs. I feel a pang of sadness as I realise that there is truly no going back now, and that Alex is really gone. However, this strangely disappears rather quicker than I would have thought possible- it only serves to remind me that I have several answers to demand from Jack.

I watch until the beautiful turrets and towers have disappeared from view, and one sole gleaming spire remains above the water's surface. Then, when this has all but disappeared I turn back to face Jack. I find him staring at me with a slightly strange expression on his face.

"What?..." I look around, slightly nervously.

Jack shakes his head, turning back to the helm.

"Nothing…" He waves the question off, but I am not about to let him off so lightly.

"Jack…" I move so I am standing directly in front of him. "Tell me what is going on."

Sparrow looks at my face, seeing the determination there. As he realises I will not be easily swayed, his shoulders drop slightly, and he sighs.

"Fine… Follow me to my cabin, we will discuss it there… Mr Gibbs!" He calls, and motions for the first mate to take over control of the ship. Then, without a backwards glance at me, he heads down onto the lower deck, and disappears through the door to his quarters. Silently, I follow on.

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By the time I enter his cabin, Jack has already settled himself at the great round table, feet up and hands behind his head- looking the picture of relaxation. He even has to crack one eye open as I walk in.

"What's this all about, Jack?" I leave no room for the normal wordplay that the pirate so excels in.

He watches me for a moment through his one open eye, then, in one fluid movement, rises and crosses over to his cupboard containing his own supply of rum.

"I thought that was more the question that I should be asking… You were the one who seemed so desperate to talk to me, where you not?"

I roll my eyes. How a normal conversation could be carried out with this man, I have no idea.

"Yes, and that was why. I want to know everything… Clearly there are some things that you know about what happened in… that place…" I cannot bring my self to name the city "that I do not, and until I do I think I'm just going to become increasingly frustrated. So, you're going to explain, and explain fast- now I have my health back, I'm in no mood to be patient."

"Fine…" Jack sighs. "Where to start…" He wonders aloud, mainly to himself.

"What happened when I touched Alex… after the ritual? It was not simply a shock, I know that. I saw things, felt things that I know I have definitely never experienced before…" I tail off, my forehead bowed in confusion at the memory.

"You don't hang around, do you, luv?" Jack shakes his head slightly. "In any case, I shall answer your question. I wouldn't want to leave you in the dark."

I roll my eyes again, but the pirate continues.

"What you experienced was a peculiarity of the ritual… and a rare one at that…"

He stoops down to look into the cupboard and, after a brief pause, emerges with a new bottle of rum. Crossing back over to his table, he sits down and takes a large swig, but then sees me watching with an expectant look on my face, wanting to hear more of his explanation. He apparently mistakes my expression, and offers me the bottle.

I reach forwards to take it, grateful for the arming effects of the alcohol, but the pirate pulls the bottle back out of my reach once again before I have enough time to grasp it. With a slight grin on his face, he takes another swig as my hand closes on empty air and then, while seeming to ignore my growl of frustration, he continues on with what he was saying.

"Sometimes, when the people involved in the ritual share a strong bond- such as you and Alex did- then the simple exchanging of blood is not so simple, particularly if the death of one of the individuals occurs. You know how you were so against the idea of Alex having to lose his life for you… it would have been too much for you to bear. The pain this caused the pair of you caused an anomaly, in which the spirit released with the sacrifice after the blood exchange did not- could not- simply disappear, leaving you as distraught as you were. No, instead, it followed its blood, and joined with your soul…"

I frown in confusion.

"Joined with my soul? How…?"

"You are now no longer solely Sierra Falcon…" Jack answers. "But neither are you Alex. You share his memories, and possibly some of his thoughts- I do not know how far this bond stretches- and yet they are mixed with your own personality. However, you will never be completely alone; Alex will always be with you."

"So, when I received that shock, and saw all those visions, when I touched Alex's body…?"

"That was when his soul first crossed to your body, just after the ritual. It was the fusing that caused the shock, and the sudden rush of his memories… Unfortunately, the Atlanteans understood somewhat of what was occurring, which is why they weren't looking too pleased… They probably felt as though you cheated them, Sierra. They may have had the blood, but not a life."

Relief washes over me. I realise why I have felt a presence near me since we left Atlantis.

"So, Alex is…?"

"Dead, yes." Jack answers simply.

This was not the response I was looking for. My face drops, and the pirate sees my obvious distress. His face changes slightly, ad he explains further.

"It is difficult to explain… he is not alive in the true sense of the world, and never will be, and yet neither is he dead… your soul now contains an echo of his, too, which will be with you for always, and, in some ways, will influence ."

I remember the way that I felt strangely at ease when I finally had to leave Atlantis, and how it was as though the deep wound from Alex's death was filled somehow, that I no longer felt alone… it all begins to make some sort of sense, however odd it may have originally sounded. A sadness still remains for Alex, the friend I have lost and the life he has lost, and yet, it is bearable.

I take a deep sigh, and look at the pirate.

"I will never forget my friend, and the sacrifice he made for me… indeed, even if I wanted to I don't think I would be able to. But, as long as he is still at peace," Jack nods "I can accept this new way… I don't think he'd want me to waste the life he has given me by moping."

Once again, Jack nods in agreement, then poses a question to me.

"So, Sierra, what will this 'new way' be, ay?" He tilts his head quizzically to one side, black eyes wide.

I think for a moment, although I already know what the answer will be.

"I have never felt as though I really belonged to my life… Firstly as Sofia Chalmes, I felt suffocated, restricted as a young English heiress… Then I fell into your way of life, as a scoundrel pirate who has had one too many adventures, and I became Sierra Falcon. However, this name was from a man I had no memory of ever knowing, a stranger to me… Something was no right with simply taking up the name. So still, I did not belong. And then I met Alex, who has been more like family to me than anyone else I have ever known. It was with him I felt I knew who I truly was. So, I have finally found a name I feel belongs to me… As Sierra Hearne. As for what I will do, in this new life I have… I have not yet decided. Perhaps I will see some more of the world, discover more of its wonders… However, for that I will need a vessel…"

Sparrow looks me in the eye, then laughs.

"Once Sofia Chalmes, then Sierra Falcon, now Sierra Hearne… most people are happy with just one name in life… But not you, Sierra. You've been on a twisted path, but one I sense has found its meaning now. And as for a ship, you need not worry…" He gestures out the_Pearl's_ stern windows, and I follow his finger.

At first I see only the aquamarine sea with the sun blazing down, but then I realise I was not looking in the right direction. Further to my left, I see a ship slowly approaching- although it is not near enough to be certain I can just distinguish what looks to be the figurehead of some sort of bird, its wings outstretched. I feel a smile crack across my face as I spot it.

"That woman has an uncanny ability to see what's going on, even with the handicap she possesses…" Jack says from behind me, as we watch_Falcon's Flight _drawing ever closer, and I realise he is talking about the blind seer, Madame Baserre. I realise she must have known this was going to happen, all along, however much she may have claimed not to have known.

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A few hours later, the ships are secured to one another and each are preparing for their journeys ahead, swapping provisions and seeing to any minor repairs that may be needed. Jack stands with me, as we survey the hustle and bustle below. We say nothing, knowing that words now will mean little, and yet we are comfortable in each other's presence.

Soon, the ships are ready, the crews divided to their respective places- the few men who returned my ship to me, the silent guards of Madame Baserre, have joined the men of the _Black Pearl _having seemed to have taken a silent vote that this would be the best place for them. Jack will return them to their island and to be truthful I am glad- it is something about their silent characters that unsettles me a little.

I stand with one foot on the gangplank, ready to take my place over on my ship. However, I hesitate, taking one glance back at Jack. He has been quiet since _Falcon's Flight_appeared, which had not bothered me until now… and yet, I know the reason for his silence. Why should we say our goodbyes when both of us have the uncanny feeling that our paths will cross many times in the future?

"Have I finally managed to silence you, Sparrow?" I joke, using my bravado to cover up any slight feelings of sadness I may have. It feels like the end of an era… to be honest, I had enjoyed the time spent as one of the _Pearl's _crew, almost more than I had enjoyed being Captain myself… I would miss it.

Jack's face twists into a smile full of glinting gold teeth, and gives an answer that could not be more of the famous pirate if he tried.

"The infamous Captain Jack Sparrow? Luv, many have tried, and just have many have failed… I'm afraid you've only become the latest on that ever-growing list…"

I roll my eyes, despite my smile.

"Of course… How could I forget…"

Jack nods towards my ship.

"You'd best be going, luv… Your crew are waiting for you."

I turn to look at my men, all looking in my direction. I start to turn, but pause, indecisive for a moment. Then, I turn back towards Jack, walk towards him and wrap my arms around his shoulders in a final farewell embrace.

Jack sways for a moment as though torn as to what to do, then decides to return the hug. For a moment, we are motionless, but all too soon he is pulling back, looking down into my slightly teary face.

"The time has come, Captain Hearne… You must take your place at the helm of your ship." He sweeps his hat off and bends low in an elaborate bow, which I, laughing, return.

"As you wish, Captain Sparrow".

Then, I turn around and walk across to my ship, where I watch as Jack's men remove the linking board. Then the ropes are thrown loose and all too soon the ships are free of one another, starting to catch the light breeze as the crews unfurl the sails.

Jack and I both move up to the helms of our ships, to take control of whatever whim we may be working on at the present moment. Before I am too far out of earshot, I hear and all-too familiar song drifting across from the _Pearl _to me.

""_And really bad eggs..._"

I finish the verse with a smile, turning the helm so that the ship will head in the direction of the setting sun.

"_Drink up me hearties, yo ho!"_

From somewhere not too far away, although whether it is real or just in my head, I hear an echoing laugh from Alex.

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A grand building, small but still impressive due to the intricate carvings covering it, stands in front of the man, looking newly erected.

To say man… the pointed ears and the mottled green-blue skin would set him apart from the normal class. And yet he still resembles a man, as though he is some distant relative… Perhaps the most striking difference to distinguish him would be the world in which he lives in, for while he stands, completely at ease, he is completely surrounded by water, and beyond, ever menacing, a crushing darkness.

Looking up towards the carving above the door, he admires the detail that one of his hired men has put into it. The wings of the bird, in correlation to his request, are spread wide, the hooked beak open in a silent cry. He just hopes it is a fair approximation of a Falcon, a bird he has never seen and never will see.

He places one mottled green hand on the door, seemingly releasing a hidden catch so that it swings open, allowing the man into the darkness inside. Walking a few steps in, he feels around to his left until he discovers one of the strange orbs that his people use for light, and, as he picks it up, it starts to emit an eerie greenish glow- just enough to be able to see the steps in front of him. The man descends.

How long he goes down for, he does not know, but after a while he reaches the bottom of the steps. These open out into a wide cavern, in the middle of which there is a strange glassy box, lit by more of the glowing orbs that have been placed on top. The man, smirking to himself, walks towards this box.

Around the edges of the structure, which soon turns out to be some kind of tomb, are more of the falcon-like birds. The man remembers the time, not so long ago, when the legend of his people had finally come to a closure. They could finally be free of the curse that had haunted them for so long… and all because of this foolish man, dead and deserted because of his love for the woman. The woman these problems had really been about… The man could not understand humans, he decided. He was glad he was not one of them.

He lent forwards to check on the decay process of the body- his job was perhaps not the nicest, and yet someone had to do it, he decided…

However, something was wrong. He frowned to himself, looking further though the glassy lid to see if that would solve his problem, but it instead simply made it all the more apparent.

The body was gone.

The Atlantean man let out a howl of anger, his people cheated of that which they had desired for so long.

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On an ashen island, far away across the seas, a body washes up onto the shore. Not bloated and disfigured like most, but perfect as when the person was alive- the golden hair forms a kind of halo around the serene face, and the straight, relaxed mouth and closed eyes only add to the impression that this man is simply asleep.

Men, appearing like shadows from the leafless forest, approach the body with the kind of respect only reserved for the dead. The men are huge, one of them picking up the body as though it was only a child instead of a fully-grown man, and yet they still manage to move with extreme grace and stealth, silently withdrawing back into their forest and leaving not a mark to show that anything had ever been there. Without a single order from anyone, they move as one to form a procession behind the one carrying the body as they weave through the grey, dead trees.

The ground underfoot is difficult, and yet these men show no sign of strain, and soon, they reach a large cliff face which at first glance would simply appear to block their path. However, the men that had formed the procession step forwards and past the one holding the body to place their hands on the uneven surface, suddenly beginning to push and strain. Astoundingly an entire piece of the cliff begins to move inwards, forming a door which finally begins to move by itself, propelled by momentum.

The men, the sweat glistening on their heads the only indication of physical effort, head into the darkness beyond, followed now by the one carrying the body. Without a single murmur they head through the darkness, aiming for a dim greenish glow that can be seen up ahead. Soon, they emerge into a massive cavern, strange because of the green rock it is made from but perhaps even stranger because of the throne, made from the same material, carved at one end, with a woman perched on it.

Walking forwards in silence, the men pick their way around to the other side of the cave. Although no normal human would have been able to pick up any sound, the woman sat on the throne whips her head around as soon as they begin to move again, her milky eyes with their startling green tinge seemingly tracking their movements although they see nothing.

When they reach her great throne the men form a semi circle in front of it, all becoming motionless except for the one carrying the body who steps forwards.

The woman smiles.

"Ahh… You found him. But, of course you would."

She rises, slowly- the movement appears difficult for her, as though she is bound to the seat. When she is upright, she steps down off her plinth, reaching out a spindly hand to place it on the head of the deceased man. Then, strangely, she opens one of his eyes.

The eyeball has not rolled backwards as would be expected, but instead is in its normal position, allowing a view of the iris- and indeed, a very strange iris it is. Blues and greens, the colour of the sea, tumble over one another in endless movement, forming wavelets and strange currents within the eye.

Although the woman may see nothing with her eyes, she seems to be able to perceive these unnatural colours. Smiling to herself, she continues to rest her hand on the man's head.

The colours fade and become still, the iris returning to a more usual grey-green colour.

Removing her hand, the woman turns to her silent guards.

"In the end, earth conquers all… Even the wildest oceans. For earth has something that water cannot even dream of, an emotion so strong it can bridge gaps of thousands of miles… Love."

Slowly, she begins to walk towards the exit to the cavern, and is immediately flanked by her men.

"Now the curse is lifted from him, he must have a proper burial. Come… we have work to do, if we are to lay this man to rest with the full respect he deserves..."


End file.
